The Long Road Home
by Willow70
Summary: While on a business trip to Algeria, Sam is taken hostage when a civil war erupts throughout the country. Jason is told that she didn't survive but seven months later she returns home...
1. Wake Up Call

**The Long Road Home**

**Rating:** _R for adult themes, sexuality, violence, and brutality._

**Summary:** _While on a business trip to Algeria, Sam is taken hostage when a civil war erupts throughout the country. Jason tracks her as far as he can but is soon told that the caravan she was in was overcome by nomads and there were no survivors. Jason returns to Port Charles a broken man, throwing himself into his work to try and get by. 7 months later, Sam returns to Port Charles. Can her relationship with Jason be rekindled ? Even if she's carrying another man's child? Escaping is only the beginning of the long road home. _

**Wake Up Call**

Sam stood on the deck of the Dorothy Gale, a coarse linen blanket draped over her shoulders as she took in her first sight of the United States in seven unbearably long months. She never thought she'd be so happy to see the docks of Port Charles in all of her life. A bittersweet smile played at the corners of her lips as she gently cradled her stomach.

"We're home." She told the blossoming joy, both a miracle and constant reminder of everything that had happened in Africa. She heard the cabin door open and turned to see Scott Phelps walking out to make sure she was alright. He had that look in his eye, that ' What are you thinking,' look, like she was breakable. She knew Scott from her salvaging days and he'd been the one she'd found in Morocco when she needed a way out.

"You shouldn't be out in this chill." He told her protectively.

Sam shook her head with a scoff. "I swear 7 months of captivity and you act like I'm going to crumble." She was suffering on the inside, but she'd be damned if anyone was going to see it. However thick she had to paint her facade, she would do it. Scott seemed appeased by her show of confidence in her self and backed off the coddling train.

"Well we're in cell range, if you wanted to call someone." He gave her a pat on the back and slid his cell phone into her hand. "I'm gonna go docked this, baby."

Sam looked down at the small silver phone with a mix of fear and uncertainty. She'd had the opportunity to call before she and Scott left Morocco. Jason hadn't answered and she couldn't fathom what sort of message she could leave him after 7 months. She'd tried Alexis as well, but her mother was out on a pressing matter and Sam didn't want to wait around to try and catch them later. She wanted out of Africa.

So her home coming wasn't going to be filled with smiling faces of families and friends. She wasn't sure she could face them all at once. After everything she had seen she knew that she was a different person and she prayed that they could all still love her, maybe not quite like before, but similar. She turned the phone over in her hands, trying to decide who to call. Obviously she had to call Jason, she wanted to, but there was this lingering fear, maybe irrational, maybe not, she wasn't sure anymore.

Sam finally gave a drawn out sigh before sliding the phone open and dialing his number. She couldn't keep putting this off. Jason was going to see her, he was going to know. And where ever the blame truly lay it was still going to hurt. She just hoped that he loved her enough to see past the brutality of the situation and find a way to forgive her and to love this baby. She'd seen that type of caring in him for children that weren't his own, like Michael, the way he was always protecting Sonny's children.

She licked at her lips nervously, listening to the subtle rings against her ear. It went to voice mail again and Sam closed her eyes with a sharp exhale of frustration. She supposed she could get a cab back to the penthouse and simply wait for him to get home and let her in. She didn't have any of her old belongings – everything that hadn't stayed in Port Charles was gone. In fact, she was wearing one of Scott's blue plaid flannel shirts and a pair of entirely too large gray sweat pants all of which did a good job of covering her developing belly.

Sam leaned against the cabin wall and watched as the ship drew closer to the dock in the heart of the night. As they drew closer she noticed movement on the docks. It took a moment but she soon realized that one of Sonny's shipments had just come in. She chewed on her lip nervously. While Jason was almost sure to be there, the men weren't expecting them to be pulling in and until everyone was identified it could get a little dicey. "Scott, slow up." She called worriedly.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Jason ignored the phone call when he realized that he didn't know the number. Whatever it was it could wait. The shipment was already late and he needed to make sure there weren't any more set backs. Jason Stuck to the shadows, watching as the crates were moved quickly down the dock towards the waiting vehicles for transport. He had another look out searching for any sign of the cops while he made sure that there weren't any unscheduled ships coming in.

They were twenty minutes into unloading when he saw the Ship, at first it appeared that it was about to dock near the cargo ship, but it veered at the last minute to take another slip much farther away. Jason narrowed his eyes worriedly. This could be a problem. If they'd gotten a look at what was happening they might radio the coast guard or the police. He couldn't let that happen.

"Dan, come over and take my watch, I need to go check on a potential problem." Jason tossed out the order on the move as he pulled his gun from where it was resting against the small of his back, tucked in by the waistband of his jeans. He hugged the shadows as he slipped down the docks watching to see where the ship was about to tie off. He would know in a moment if they were a threat.

The boat docked and he watched as two figures walked about the deck in the cool autumn air. It was a man and women, the rest of the crew tending to the rigging. The couple soon descended to the pier and made their way up the board walk. At that moment he knew they were no threat, they wouldn't be so calm and collected, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from them, because for one fleeting, heart breaking moment he could have sworn that the woman climbing off the boat was Sam.

Jason knew it couldn't be, he'd buried her memory seventh months and fought to stave it off with mountains of work. Anything Sonny could throw his way. Jason turned away and started back to the docks now feeling cold tendrils of sadness sinking their claws into his heart.

"I'll be fine. I can call a cab just like any other liberated woman." Jason heard the soft voice, the accompanying laugh and froze. She sounded just like her, just like her. Jason turned around slowly, now compelled to get a better look. No not compelled, he was driven. He couldn't rest until he saw her, until he looked into her eyes and convinced himself that Sam was still dead. But there was a part of him that blindly hoped that the impossible was a reality, that Sam could be alive, right there, mere feet away from him.

"I'm sure he'll be home before too long – he can let me in." She was saying.

"I don't think you should be sitting around in some hallway, waiting all night. What if he's out of town or something. Sam, you need to get some rest, descent food, more than I've been able to give you so far. Why don't you let me get you a room or something?" the guy with her replied, clearly concerned about her. Jason felt another pang. Had that man called her Sam?

Jason could only pray that he wasn't hearing what he wanted as that one more clue had him breaking out of the shadows and striding right towards them, his need to see her driven harder. He walked with purpose, his gaze angled towards his feet, tears dotting his eyes as he dared to hope, yet let fear keep him from looking, lest he take the blow that she wasn't Sam.

"Jason?" That snapped him out of it. Jason looked up and came face to face with Sam McCall, his presumed dead fiance.

"Sam," it came out as a whisper, broken, funneling a riptide of emotion in that one word.

"We don't want any trouble..." Scott angled himself in between the both of them when he saw that Jason had a gun in hand.

"He's not going to hurt us." Sam moved around Scott without missing a beat just as Jason realized why the guy was worried and hurriedly put the gun away.

Jason couldn't think, his mind racing in a hundred different directions, while he fought a surge of emotion that threatened to choke off any response he could have offered and then...Sam wrapped her arms around him and he faltered in shock. Slowly he responded, gently enfolding her in his arms, breathing her in. He didn't have the words...were there even words? He never had been a word smith but just this once he really wished that he knew what to say.

And then he felt her robust baby bump. As if the overwhelming reunion wasn't enough of a shock, that certainly took the cake. Jason pulled back in alarm and he couldn't for one moment hide the anger that lit through his eyes. He'd been mourning her for seven months, seven of the cruelest months of his entire life and she was...blind rage was setting in, unable to rationalize all of the what ifs. "You're pregnant..."

And of all the things to say, that wasn't the right one. Jason balled his fist in anger as he stepped back, putting more distance between them. "Whose..." She hadn't been pregnant when she left so he knew it wasn't his.

"It's a long story, Jason. I just..."

"Whose, Sam? His?" He motioned to Scott who instantly put his hands up in defense.

"Whoa, not mine." Scott clarified immediately.

"Is that really all you care about right now?" Sam narrowed her eyes, trying to fight the disappointment, the hurt that was sinking in deep. He could barely say her name, but he could ask her right off who the father of her baby was? What about 'Oh Sam I missed you' or ' I love you so much, I'm glad your home' or maybe ' I never stopped looking for you'.

Jason set his jaw, still completely reeling. The anger in her voice did nothing to appease his own. "That's not the only thing I care about right now." He'd already shoved his foot in his mouth and that hadn't held so maybe if he vented this anger in an irrational manner swallowing to his knee might improve the situation. "You couldn't bother to call? You seem well."

Sam flinched at the accusation that she had simply kept him in the dark about her whereabouts. God she hadn't even been near a phone until a week ago and then all she was thinking about was getting back home to him. Still she had called him, and maybe she should have left a message but that didn't excuse his attitude right now.

"I'm not going to justify that with an answer, Jason." Sam was so hurt right now that she couldn't even think about keeping on with this escalating argument and God forbid Scott was right, she was exhausted. "I think I'll take you up on that hotel." Sam whispered.

"Okay," Scott seemed hopeful that this was the end of the conversation.

"Come and find me, if you ever get your head out of your ass." Sam whispered tearily unable to meet Jason's eyes. She went with Scott leaving Jason standing there both of their hearts torn.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Aban Abdul-Azim buttoned his suite jacket on the way down the steps that extended from his private jet. Two men stood by, waiting for him, having paved the way for his arrival in Port Charles. It was unfortunate that Samantha had run from him. Here he'd finally managed to put a minimal amount of trust in her and she took the opportunity to run home. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

"I've secured the penthouse at the MetroCourt." Mal Farrak met him in the back of the limo, explaining what had been done. "We'll begin our search for your wife, in the morning. If she has already arrived, than I promise we will find her."

"I know you will." Aban wasn't leaving without her and his child.


	2. Scares and Scars

**The Long Road Home**

_I am so excited and surprised by the response for this story. Thanks so much for the reviews. :thanks: I'll be getting more into what actually happened while they were both apart soon and it should shed some light on Jason fighting his inner demons. As you can tell Azim will most likely __**not**__ make it through this story alive. Would love to hear what everyone thinks of this chapter and hope you all enjoy._

**Scares and Scars**

Allah, a break was welcome, safe from the demands of Azim for a precious few moments to take in a local paper, maybe improve his English, and to get a cup of tea. At least the hotel boasted more that one locale for dinning even for the late night patrons. He gave a respectful thank you in Arabic when the attendant brought his tea and went back to his paper.

"No offense but I'm really grateful for the new duds." Farrak narrowed his eyes and looked over the top of the paper to see the whole reason for this forsaken trip traversing across the restaurant, clad in a black flowing maternity top and leggings. There was a man at her side, motioning her to a free table, pulling the chair out for her.

"None taken. Although you look good in anything." The man promised her. Farrak had to agree with him on that. Farrak dialed Azim but kept the paper up so as to keep her from recognizing him, luckily a group of night owls that had apparently been out clubbing stopped in for a last minute coffee on their way back to their rooms, which took the host of attention from anyone else.

The noise made it impossible to hear the rest of the couples conversation, but he could keep her in his sights. Azim answered on the third ring, sleep thick in his voice. "This better be important." He answered the phone Arabic.

Farrak swallowed tightly. "I'm sorry to disturb, but I have located your wife. Shall I bring her to you?"

Any admonishment for waking him was gone when Azim replied, "Make it so."

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Jason supervised the rest of the shipment all the while inwardly kicking himself. It took a moment to cool off, to realize that he was never mad at her. The shock _that_ was real, but the anger was meant solely for himself. He couldn't rationalize why he'd attacked her. The confusion and questions he had had all surged at once and the rage that he had somehow given up on her was near instantly eating him alive. All this time he thought she was gone and she was...

Jason closed his eyes. He never should have insinuated that she would have been over there if she had a choice. That she had let him think she was dead, hadn't tried to contact him. Which left a startling alternative. She'd been unable to. And that left a whole avenue of possibilities that were swirling nightmares.

By the time the shipment was on it's way, Jason couldn't think of going home. He had to see her, had to apologize. He didn't even have to call around to find her. Carly saw her at the Metro Court and had to call him to let him know that Sam was alive. So he now had her room number, he just had to pray that she would see him.

Jason stopped outside her room, hand poised to knock. He was awash with nervousness, fear, and self loathing. He should have never believed that she was killed in that caravan raid. If he had kept looking, maybe, just maybe...Jason let out a shaky breath and finally let his fist connect with the door.

"Hey." He whirled when Scott rounded the corner and headed for the room next door to hers.

"Oh, hey." Jason nodded. "I just came to apologize to Sam." He wanted her friend to know that he had good intentions so as not to worry him. He could tell that he cared about her.

Scott nodded. "I'm sure she'll appreciate that." an awkward moment settled between them as Scott seemed to be weighing telling him something. "She's had a rough time of things. I think she needs some sleep. When she found me in Marrakesh, in Morocco, she'd come out of the desert on a week long hike. She was in bad shape. All she's been doing since is trying to get home...to you. So do her a favor, care enough about her to let her get a good night sleep, before you two talk. She needs it."

Scott left it up to him as he said his goodnight and disappeared into his own room. Jason looked to the door weighing the options as the sliver of news about what she had been through settled in like a new heartache. Jason slid his hand against the door as if the simple contact brought him closer to her and then settled his forehead against the wood grain, closing his eyes with a tight swallow. "If it takes the rest of my life. I'll make this up to you." Jason whispered as though the message would somehow make it's way into her dreams.

He then reluctantly took Scott's advice, vowing to return in the morning.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

She'd often wondered, if the stars would ever look the same. She couldn't count the nights that she lay awake, counting them, whispering to them, as if the one common thread could carry a message home. She wondered if they ever were watching the skies at the same time, if for once they saw the same sight. Some times when she lost hope she would berate herself that Algeria was five hours ahead of Port Charles so the likelihood of that was pretty small. But there were other times when it was a simple hope, that she could cling to.

Sam had slipped out of her room, after telling Scott goodnight to get one more look at the night sky before bed. It had become a custom, a personal tradition, how she would tell Jason goodnight. She hugged her arms around her, fighting the chill in the night, braving just a few more minutes. She had closed her eyes, face bathed in moonlight when she felt arms gently wrap around her and for one brief moment she thought Jason had found her, that he was here to apologize, but...

"You're husband has sent for you." The cold voice licked at her ear like the tongue of a serpent in Arabic. Sam was in instant fight mode, but came up short when she felt the barrel of the gun shoved into the small of her back. "Ah, don't make this harder than it has to be."

"He is not my husband." Sam's voice was a mingle of anger and blind terror as she relaxed in his hold only so much as to not provoke a possible bullet through her back. She spoke in Arabic, having learned the language out of necessity over the last seven months.

"You always were ungrateful." Farrak chuckled. "I'm sure you'll change your tune soon."

Sam tensed at the thought and closed her eyes. Azim's methods for changing one's attitude left a lot to be desired, in fact the very idea of facing him sent spine numbing horror pulsing through every nerve. Their march to the penthouse was like a death march, Sam felt as if any moment she would be standing before the firing line. Azim didn't take kindly to betrayal. She held tightly to her belly, protecting the baby, knowing that should anything save her life it would be Azim's unborn heir.

Farrak walked her into the room and gave her a shove forward once they cleared the threshold as he no longer needed to shield the gun from view with her body. Sam caught herself on her hands and knees before she did a face plant but soon froze seeing Azim rise from the lounge area of the penthouse. It was like a waking nightmare. She thought she would have a chance to breath before he found her, to somehow secure her safety.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Jason was five minutes inside his penthouse when his phone went off, identifying the caller as Sonny by a slight deviation to his usual ring tone. He narrowed his eyes, taking in the time. It was past midnight and there were no problems with the shipment, so what surprises were about to be thrown his way?

"Yeah," Jason tossed his jacket onto the couch and waited for the punch line. He was ready to tell Sonny that he needed some time, He couldn't focus on work with Sam home.

It was funny, work was what he'd used to survive the months in between, if there was a hit – he volunteered. Anything to pour his grieving into something that felt constructive or destructive – depended on how someone looked at. In a way he was making the marks pay for what had happened to Sam.

"We have a problem." And those were the words that he was dreading hearing.

"What?" Jason couldn't pawn it off on someone else until he knew what it was.

"Aban Abdul-Azim." Sonny replied evenly. "He's a middle Eastern arms dealer that just flew into Port Charles. Carly's got him on the Penthouse level at the Metro Court. I need you to find out why he's here."

Jason furrowed his brow. Well he would be at the Metro Court tomorrow anyway. He cold have Spinelli see what he could find while he asked around. Still he wanted Sonny on notice that he needed some personal time. "I'll see what I can find out, but I'm going to need some time. Sam's alive."

There was a long pause before Sonny spoke again. "Alive? I thought that caravan was raided..."

"I don't know. They gave me her engagement ring, found with the carnage, but she wasn't there. I don't know what happened yet." Jason opened the desk drawer to find the ring still snug in it's new home with a frown.

"I'll get some other ears to the ground then, how is she?" Sonny asked worriedly.

"I don't know, we've barely talked...I didn't handle her arrival all that well." Jason confessed.

Sonny paused once more as if there was something he wasn't quite sure how to say right on the tip of his tongue. "You know, I've - I've watched you fall. Things got dark. I didn't say anything at the time, because I thought you would come out of it, but the places you've been since she's been gone, you can't turn all that off like flipping a switch. Even for her. Do yourself a favor, Jason, take this reunion slow. Something tells me you both have some healing to do."

"I don't plan on forcing any issues right now." Jason nodded. "I'm sure the pace will set itself."

"Just be careful."

"I will, and I'm going to be at the Metro Court tomorrow so I'll see what I can find out about the arms dealer." Jason promised him.

"I can take that off the table, give it to someone else if you need the time," Sonny offered.

"No, I've got it." Jason would need the distraction, especially if Sam didn't want to see him.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

"I want you to know," Azim's breath was hot against her ear. "That I do not take pleasure in what must happen."

"This doesn't have to happen. I won't leave again, you do not have to do this." Sam whispered out frantically as tears streamed over her cheeks. Sure she was lying, but she would tell him whatever he needed to hear in order to spare herself and the baby the stress of his punishment.

Azim was a big believer in discipline as if he could assert his rule over anyone in his employee or supposed servitude by means of submission. Sam had been at the receiving end of his discipline more times than she wanted to remember. And she did begin to comply, but it was more for the baby than to spare herself. Her defiance still sparked a challenge for Azim and she knew that if he had his way, he would beat it out of her or kill her in the process.

He chuckled in a way that wasn't menacing, it wasn't maniacal. It looked harmless, like a friend. The real truth was where the power lay, his ability to make you think that everything was alright, that you were spared, that somehow you'd managed to get through to him. That was genuinely the time that Azim chose to strike and despite how many times she'd witnessed it she could never tell when exactly it was coming. It made him more dangerous than she ever wanted to admit.

"No you won't be running again. You won't be able too. I won't be unkind. Eight will do." Sam's eyes widened in horror. Shit. The first hit of the pencil width cane seared across the bottom of her right foot, illiciting a muffled cry as Farrak quickly covered her scream with his hand. She was already bound sitting to a chair, Azim holding her right leg straightened so that he had better access to the bottom of her foot.

By the time he was finished, blood was spattering into the towel he'd covered the floor with, it was a slow drizzle but it was steady. She'd stopped screaming in favor of breathing, her breath hitched at a pant against the pain of torn flesh and throbbing nerves. She was cried out, fighting passing out. Azim turned on her, grasping her cheeks tightly with his bloody hand.

"I am done with this, the next time. I will not be so kind." He growled and then to drive the point home, he slapped her so hard that he head snapped from the recoil. "Clean her up." He ordered Farrak. " She will share my bed tonight."

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Morning couldn't arrive fast enough.

Jason had spent the night in a fit of tossing and turning and when he did finally drift he dreamed of his encounter with Sam on the docks. The reminder was like a kick to the groin. He made it through a shower and breakfast all the while Spinelli began to look up this arms dealer that had just arrived. Jason was counting the hours, trying to wait for a decent time to get there. He wanted to give her time to rest, didn't want to wake her too early.

He'd finally settled on 10:00 am, and so at 9:45 Jason grabbed his jacket and headed out the door in a rush to make amends.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Sam was positioned between Farrak and Azim, leaning heavily on Farrak as they walked her down the corridor towards the elevator. "I want the plane fueled and ready, I will not be delayed a moment later but this childish tantrum." Azim was saying in Arabic into his cell phone.

Sam grimaced as her wrapped foot met the floor of the elevator. She couldn't believe that she could still feel trapped, in a place she once called home. Azim had tied her to the headboard for the night, fearing she would either try to leave again or kill him and truthfully for Sam, either was on the table. They hadn't let her out of their sight all morning and she couldn't move fast enough to make a break for it.

Her last ditch plan was to make a scene in the lobby...

_Song inspiration for this chapter "How" - The Cranberries_


	3. The Metro Court

**The Long Road Home**

**Disclaimer: **_I don't usually do this, but in all fairness here goes : This story in no way depicts actual Algerians, Arabs, Arms dealers, Mob bosses, Mob enforcers, Private investigators, Hackers, Hotel owners, Lawyers, or fictitious towns in New York...wait strike the last one. Really though, I am not trying to stereotype any social, economic,ethnic or religious group. It's just a story with a psycho bad guy and some JaSam love :)_

**Thanks Bunches for the reviews! :thanks: Much appreciated and a great confidence booster.**

**The Metro Court**

**Seven Months ago...**

"_You should have seen the look on his face when I dropped the veil and jabbed the muzzle of my 9mm in his gut. No one has tried to grab my ass since then." Sam recounted laughter playing around her words as she walked through the market in Oran, on the coast of Algeria. _

_Jason's laughter mingled with her own. "You're making that up." _

"_How do you know, Mr. can't take the time for a vacation?" Sam held up the bedlah, giving the ornate crimson fringed bra top, hip belt, and skirt a once over with a growing smirk. "I could have gone undercover as a dancer in a bar." _

"_I thought Pete had everything you needed at the port." Jason countered. _

"_Okay so I did say that, but I did meet some dancers at a club last night and I've got a present for you." Sam said into the phone suggestively. _

"_You're bringing me a dancer?" Jason teased her. He leaned back further into the couch, wishing she was sitting next to him, instead of thousands of miles away, an ocean separating them. _

"_Bite you tongue, or you will never lay eyes on this costume." Sam scoffed in mock offense. _

"_What sort of costume?" She had his attention now, not that she needed to really reel him any further. _

"_Lets just say that it's getting harder and harder to find a decent belly dancer outside of Egypt, but I managed. And I took a class." _

"_I can't wait til you get home." There was longing in his voice, not just from the excitement of her surprise. He'd been going crazy in Port Charles all week without her. _

"_I'll be on the midnight plane." She promised him. "I can't wait to be home." She broke off on the last word. "Jason, I think something might be..." Her last words were shrouded in dread. _

_There was a long pause and then a gasp. Jason narrowed his eyes quizzically waiting for her to tell __him what was going on, but she didn't. He heard gunfire in the distance and then her pants as she began to run. Jason was already on his feet panic rising. "Sam?"_

_There was no answer, save screams, pants, running, explosions, gun fire. It all mingled together and then there was her distant voice. "...the church...hurry..." He never knew who she was talking to for the phone died. That was the last time Jason talked to Sam until..._

**Present Day...**

Scott was getting worried. He wanted Sam to be able to sleep in, but it was nearly 10 and they were still fighting jet lag from their flight to the his ship docked at Murray Harbor on Prince Edward Island. It felt more like 2 in the afternoon to him. She couldn't be that much more adjusted. He flipped off the television in his room and went to the adjoining door that led to her room, knocking softly. "Sam?" He called at the door.

There was no answer so he tried pounding harder on the door and calling her name louder, adding "I thought you might want some breakfast..."

Still no answer.

Scott tried the door and found that it wasn't locked. He'd gotten adjoining room in case she needed him in the night. He'd seen her through some horrible nightmares on the way home. She didn't really talk about what they were, but he had pieced together enough to know she'd been through hell. He pushed the door open and frowned at the empty room that lay before him.

Had she gotten up earlier than him? Gone to get breakfast herself? Scott felt a sneaking fear encroaching upon the perimeter of his heart though as he looked at the bed.

It hadn't been slept in.

Scott hurried out of the room, making a beeline for the lobby, praying that nothing had happened to her. She'd already been through enough.

**Seven months ago...**

"_Members of the Algerian Liberation Army, also known as the ALA stormed Oran, Algiers, Constantine, Annaba, and several other smaller cities throughout Algeria in an attempt to oust the current regime. Harold Danson was in Oran for the initial surge and reports now from an Anglican Church within the city where refugees are confined while they await the borders to open once more."_

_The News reports weren't continuous, but Jason kept an eye on the coverage of the rebellion by way of several different stations. Spinelli had the TV divided into four screen each on a different station. It was the church story on CNN that drew his attention, as Sam's last words on the phone still rang in his head. He was on the phone with Alexis. _

"_Hold on..." He motioned to the screen guiding Spinelli to the CNN frame. "Isolate that one." the other three news stations gave way to the one and Jason kept an eye on it while he went back to his conversation. "Alexis they've closed the borders, no one's going in and no one is coming out. It's going to take me some time to work around that." Jason got out in exasperation. Alexis's hot and cold attitude about Sam and his relationship was on standby for the moment as she realized that Jason might be the only one to get her daughter out of Algeria. "You can't forget that Sam's resourceful. She might be working on a way out right now." _

"_Stone Cold!" Spinelli was on his feet in a heartbeat frantically motioning to the screen. _

"_I'll call you back..." Jason closed the phone, eyes glued to the screen. _

"_You can still hear the gun fire in the distance, the fighting has been nonstop." Harold was walking the camera man through the church to get a good look at all the people scattered among the pews, some praying, some crying, some holding each other, others slept, but the one that caught Jason's attention, she was sitting with a group of teenagers in a circle it looked like a school group, probably some sort of educational trip. Sam was smiling, looked to be telling a story and they were all enthralled. _

"_She's keeping them calm." Jason swallowed tightly. God it was so good to see her – alive, apparently unharmed. Jason ran a hand through his hair and let out a breath in relief. It was short lived however as the camera suddenly panned to the scene behind the camera man, the front doors. Men with guns were running into the room. Screams erupted from everywhere and then the feed went dark..._

**Present Day...**

"I don't understand why you guys can't plan to have the dance at the Archer Pavilion. It's much nicer." Alexis had been hampering Molly the whole way there about her civic club's decision to plan a dance at the Metro Court's convention center.

Molly had been laughing it off repeatedly, but annoyance was showing a little around the edges. "I told you, the decisions already been made. Now we just have to plan it."

Alexis sighed. "Aren't you a little young for a dance, anyway?"

"I'm twelve, Mom." Molly tossed back at her, still all smiles, yet with a roll of her eyes.

"Going on 30." Alexis chuckled. They made their way through the lobby, hand in hand and Alexis had to savor the fact that Molly allowed the luxury. She knew it wouldn't be long before she wouldn't be seen in public holding her mother's hand. Alexis felt a jerk and her hand slipped away from Molly's when Molly suddenly stopped in the middle of the lobby. "Honey, what..." Alexis turned following Molly's gaze until it settled on...

"Oh, my God." Alexis breathed it out in a tearful whisper. There limping between two men in high price suites, was her oldest daughter, her presumed dead daughter. Nothing could have prepared her for this moment.

"I knew it!" Molly cried out, her voice of mess of joy and tears as she raced across the lobby. "I knew you were alive!" Alexis hurried after her youngest but didn't miss the look of absolute terror that Sam had on her face when she saw her little sister coming to her.

Sam thought she knew fear. She truly thought she had the market cornered on just what terror and horror felt like, but nothing prepared her for the feeling she got as Molly raced towards her. She wasn't scared for herself, she was terrified of her little sister in the presence of this fucking psycho.

Azim was taken off guard as the young woman raced up to Sam and threw her arms around her, bear hugging her so that the maternity top was snugly pressed against her baby belly, showing off her pregnant state.

Molly hadn't noticed it yet though, she was too caught up in the fact that all of her hopes for her sister were coming true, that she was alive, that she was home. Sure she was a little roughed up, but she'd just escaped a war zone! "I kept telling them, I told them, you were alive." She whispered in a sob of joy against Sam's chest.

Sam felt a tear slip past her cheek as she wrenched her arm from Azim's grasp, still holding to Farrak and she wrapped her arm around her sister, gently kissing her head. She hadn't realized that everyone thought she was dead. "Thank you for believing in me." Sam whispered. God her mind was reeling. She was desperate to get away from Azim and yet now wanted to protect her sister and mother from the man.

"Always." Molly promised her. Molly pulled away from her when she realized something was different about her. Molly's jaw dropped and she covered her mouth turning from Sam to Alexis as she quickly pointed out Sam's belly. "Oh, My God!" Molly was beside herself. "Jason's going to be so excited!"

"M..Molly..." Sam stuttered out as she looked to Azim in fear and then back to her sister. Azim didn't seem provoked yet. In fact he was eerily calm. Sam didn't know if she should be relieved or scared to death.

"Farrak, help Samantha into the seat there." Azim ordered his man. "We should give her time to reconnect with her family." Azim crouched down to get at eye level with Molly and Sam was going white as a sheet. "You take care of her for me while I'm gone."

Molly leaned in and gave the stranger a hug. "Thanks for bringing her home to me." Sam realized that Molly had this all wrong but she couldn't say anything...not yet.

Sam felt sick and Alexis must have noticed because she was wearily eying the whole scene and she quickly put a hand on Molly's shoulder, pulling her back. "That's enough. I think Mr..."

"Azim." He replied offering her his hand, which she didn't respond to. She could see in Sam's eyes that something was so wrong here.

"I think Mr. Azim has business elsewhere..." Alexis finished now that she had his name.

"Of Course." Azim turned to Sam now that Farrak had helped her into a nearby chair and he leaned down and kissed her cheek. Sam turned away from the kiss in disgust but let it pass not wanting to stir up any more trouble if he was truly about to leave. "I'll be seeing you soon." He promised her.

Sam bit her lip. There were a million things she wanted to say to him, none of them good, but if he was about to walk out the door than she could hold it back. She didn't want to provoke him into staying. What worried her was why he would abandon his chance to take her out of the country. Little girls and mother's could only pose so much of a threat. There was this look in his eye and Sam was swallowing back bile hoping that whatever he was planning never came to pass.

"Good day, ladies" Azim excused himself, leaving the three of them there in a whirl of emotion. Alexis and Sam watched him leave leaving Molly too look between them all in confusion.

Finally when he'd cleared the door Alexis felt like it was safe to rejoice for her daughters return. "Oh, Sam..." Alexis knelt beside her chair and hugged her up tightly, weeping her own tears of joy. She pulled back finally and was looking her over in shock and wonder. "They told Jason...he went...and they said the caravan was raided. There weren't any survivors. We thought..."

Sam pulled her mom back to her, a mix of happiness at the reunion and fleeting adrenaline leaving her trembling. "It's okay, I'm okay..." She promised her. "I'm home now." And Azim had just messed up because he was giving her the time she needed to protect herself. Alexis hadn't missed how very pregnant Sam was as well and she ran her hand over the belly with a smile.

"Mostly okay, what happened here." Alexis motioned to her foot which was wrapped tightly.

"That's a long story in a list of long stories." Sam let out a breath in exhaustion. "But I really probably should have it looked at." There was so much that she wanted to say, but none of it in front of Molly.

"We can take her to the hospital. And I can call Kristina and Abby..." Molly started and Alexis reigned her in.

"Whoa there, lets take just a little breather here." Alexis met Sam's eyes. There was a world of pain there speaking volumes about a history that started seven months ago and she knew it involved the men who were here. She wanted to know so much, wanted to celebrate, wanted to shout to the world that her daughter was alive and well, but she couldn't, not yet, not when Sam looked on the verge of tears, stricken with fear. God and she was pregnant, through this all she was pregnant. Alexis closed her eyes her heart both breaking and mending in a breath.

**Seven months ago...**

_For what seemed an eternity Jason and Spinelli stared at the black screen, Spinelli now holding to Jason's arm as if somehow that would Jason could lend his normal calm composure to the worried hacker. Jason had no calm to give Spinelli though. He was teetering on panic and felt lost in helplessness. The Anchor appeared on the screen again looking less fearful than the two of them, but still worried. _

"_We've lost the feed from Harold Danson who was reporting Live from Oran in Algeria. Reports are now saying that the refugees are being taken into rebel custody, including our own Harld Danson and Steve Miller his camera man. We'll keep you updated as word gets to us. For now our hearts and prayers go out to all those captive in Algeria." _

"_Fair Samantha..." Spinelli whispered. _

_Jason closed his eyes in horror at the news and shook Spinelli's hands from his arm. "I've got to find a way over there. I can't just sit here."_

**Present Day...**

Jason walked through the parking lot on pins and needles, praying that Sam would see him. He wanted to know the whole story, not just the bits that he had pieced together at the start of all of this. He knew it until the caravan, after that – it was anyone's bet.

He narrowed his eyes as two men passed him, talking in Arabic and wondered if that was the arms dealer or some of his men that Sonny wanted him to check up on, but quickly shoved the idea away in favor of finding Sam. He could look into the arms dealer later.

Jason walked into the lobby and froze seeing Sam sitting there in an arm chair, her mother helping her prop her foot up on the coffee table before her. Gauze was wrapped around it tightly, but he could see a maroon tinge against the bottom, showing that she was bleeding. Jason's mind was awash with questions and fears. He'd seen her last night and hell he knew he was in shock, but she hadn't been injured. So what had transpired between then and now. Jason raced over.

"Sam, are you alright?" Jason knew he needed to apologize but right now he just had to make sure that she was going to be okay, find out what happened.

"There you are!" Scott chose that one moment to make his entrance as he bounded from the elevator. "I've looked everywhere...I saw your bed wasn't slept in and..." he trailed off, eyes widening worriedly as he saw her foot. "What happened?"

Sam looked around at all the concerned faces and let out a sharp breath. "Mom, could you take Molly for a little walk, I need to talk to Jason and Scott."

"Yeah, but then we need to get you looked at," Alexis agreed reluctantly, knowing that she and Sam would be having a talk later as well.

"I'll catch a ride with Jason. We can catch up later this afternoon." Sam offered. Alexis again gave a reluctant nod.

After another round of hugs and a all too quick goodbye Sam was left with Scott and Jason looking down at her. "Come on, " She offered both her hands, looking for help up. "Help me up, we can walk and talk."

"I don't think you should be..." Jason started but Sam cut him off.

"Don't argue with me, not after last night, just come on..." Jason and Scott exchanged a knowing look about her stubbornness and they quickly helped her to her feet. Sam instantly leaned against Scott more so than Jason.

"Azim found me last night." Sam didn't know where to start really, Scott knew about as much of this tale as Jason so it wasn't like he was going to know what she meant just yet. "I escaped from his compound near Tamanrasset."

"Aban Abdul- Azim?" Jason asked not liking the sound of this already.

Sam nodded as they helped her towards his car in the parking lot. "He found me last night and he's not happy I escaped...thus the foot. He didn't want me running away again, before he could drag me back to his own psychotic paradise."

"God, Sam why didn't you tell me this guy might be coming after you?" Scott asked her worriedly.

Jason felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. She wouldn't have told him because she knew he would protect her, only he hadn't he'd just shoved his foot in his mouth. God he was going to kill this guy.

"I didn't tell you because I thought I would have time to make arrangements before he found me." Sam replied defensively. "And I don't know why he let me spend time with Mom and Molly but he's up to something and the way he was looking at Molly, there is more at stake than just me..." Sam got out winded and Jason frowned looking down at her, wrapping his arm around her tighter. But then she pitched, eyes rolling back.

Jason didn't ask Scott's permission as fear gnawed deep into his stomach. He swept her up and into his arms and ran the rest of the way to the car...

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Azim looked pleased with himself as he sat across from Farrak in the limo. "I've found a way to keep Samantha in line." He smiled in appreciation for his own brilliance. "Did you see the fear in her eyes when her sister hugged me?"

"It was hard to miss." Farrak agreed.

"I want you to follow the sister. Find out her routine. When we get ready to go, we'll take her too. Samantha will finally comply or her sister will pay the price. She will not risk a loved one as she does herself."


	4. Home Coming

**The Long Road Home**

_Thanks so much for the reviews so far and I hope everyone enjoys :) I really hope you guys let me know if you are liking this or not. Please do :)_

**Home Coming**

**Nearly seven months ago...**

_She knew she was in trouble the moment they found her weapons. Sam had gotten in tight with a bunch of tourists, school kids and a news crew, and she was hoping that would help her make it out of this in one piece. She was in between Harold and Steve from CNN both of who had taken one look at her meager size and sworn her protection and for once she played into the helpless female role in favor of getting the hell out of Dodge. The US wasn't going to stand by while their tourists were being – well whatever they planned on doing to them...and the rebels had enough to deal with without pissing off another country. _

_So it looked like they planned on sending most of the tourists home. They placed them in a single file line and she realized to late that they were searching everyone. Sam cursed under breath when she reached the front of the line and they patted her down, finding both her throw away and the knife strapped to her calf. _

_There were two options at the front of the line...right – which led into a fenced in yard and to the left which led to a large cargo plane. Those that went right looked like locals and foreigners who posed some sort of risk or were expendable. They were bound with their hands behind their backs and then shoved into the cage. Those that went to left were given a small bag and ushered onto the plane. _

_As soon as her gun and knife landed in a pile with other weapons Sam felt a sinking feeling and then her arms were being wrenched behind her back, a thick white zip tie being used to bind her hands together. "No no! No..." Sam was screaming, fighting to pull away as Harold turned from where they were trying to lead him towards the plane. _

"_No! She's with us!" He was shouting and likewise Steve joined in the fight but no one was budging and she was soon tossed into the pen to the right while they were forced physically to comply and get on the plane. _

_Sam struggled to her feet, arms behind her and looked around the pen, realizing that her size and gender were going to put her in harms way, that she would have to constantly watch her back and then she looked to the plane taxiing down the runway...her ticket home, taking to the skies. She fought the tears that threatened to show her as weak and maneuvered her back against the fence wall, so she could watch her back. _

**Present Day...**

"How much did she tell you?" Jason leaned forward, looking about the ER unable to hide the worry dancing behind his eyes. Scott was sitting right beside him, looking just as concerned. He felt like he was playing catch up and now there was an enemy to fight, a real one. Sam needed protection. He'd already sent Max and Milo to Alexis. They would be with Molly and Kristina until they had this problem fixed. And he wasn't leaving Sam's side, whether she wanted him or not.

"Openly, not a lot. I had to infer quite a bit." Scott ran his hand back through his short ebony curls and frowned deeper. "I was in Marrakesh trading some antiques. I had a pretty big haul a couple months back and am still trying to move all the merchandise. She walks into Harat's bar at like 2 in the morning . She was dressing local, keeping out of sight. She found me. I owed her from back in the day. So when she said that she needed a ride to the States, no questions asked. I didn't ask." Scott explained. "She made it clear though, she needed to stay out of sight, she didn't want me shooting my mouth off to anyone about her."

Jason and Scott fell silent when Epiphany walked out of the cubicle where they were looking Sam over. She was shaking her head sadly. It wasn't any more comforting when Robin walked out looking three shades of pale. Jason was on his feet in a heart beat. He could finish his conversation with Scott soon. Jason tucked his hands into his back pockets nervously as he looked to Robin for some answers. "How is she? The baby?"

"They're both resting comfortably. She's dehydrated and we're going to have to put some stitches in her foot. She's going to have to stay off her foot until the wounds have a chance to heal or she could reopen them. I want to keep her overnight."

Jason felt sick, what the hell had this guy done to her? God and she was acting so calm about it all, more worried about Molly then herself. It was like...almost like...Jason closed his eyes balling his fist as it hit home...she was used to it. How the hell did you get used to something like that? "We'll make sure she's taken care of..."

"What aren't you saying?" Scott asked as he stepped beside Jason. Robin looked hesitant to tackle the question because she didn't know the guy asking, but Jason nodded to let her know it was alright. Still she was reluctant, but finally began.

"There's a lot of scarring. We didn't see until we were changing her into the hospital gown. Her back..." Robin broke off looking away to fight the tears that sprang to her eyes and she lowered her voice. "I've never seen anything like that..maybe whip marks, from more than one occasion. Because of the obvious stress she's been under I want to run a few more tests to make absolute sure that the baby is alright."

Jason's fist was shaking in a mixture of heartbreak and building rage as he learned more about the injustices she had faced while captive in Africa. "Whatever you need to do." Jason nodded. He wasn't sure where he and Sam stood at the moment but he knew she would want Robin to do the tests.

"We'll take good care of them." Robin promised him with a squeeze of his hand.

"Thank you." He whispered and got a reassuring smile before she had to be on her way. Jason took a moment, trying to process what he'd learned. Someone had whipped Sam, scarred her back and from the look on Robin's face it was bad. If it was this Azim guy and from Sam said about her foot it very well could be there would be no place for him to hide.

Scott walked to the Jason's side once more, his hand trembling over his lips a moment before he thumbed over his chin in disgust and looked to Jason. "You think Azim did it?" He asked him with a wrinkle of his nose unable to hide his feelings about all this.

"I think I want her to tell me before I kill the wrong man." Jason said it softly, but there was a measure of resolve that cut Scott to the core. It was about that time that Jason heard his phone going off, Sonny calling. "I need to take this, I'll be right over there." Jason motioned to a corner that was secluded but still within sight. Scott gave him a nod and Jason headed in that direction while answering the phone. "Yeah."

"All I've gotten so far is that this guy might be here because of personal reasons, that's debatable at the moment though, cause Zacharra has it on good authority that Azim has set up a meeting with Valenti – over in Harrisburg." Sonny explained quickly.

"He might be mixing business and pleasure, but he's here for Sam, Sonny and I don't mean in a good way."

"You mean in a needs to disappear way?" Sonny asked for clarification with a cautionary warning. "Because if this bastard needs to go down, we're going to have to be careful about it. His influence over seas could bring us a world of hurt. His death would have to be an airtight accident."

"I can do accidents." Jason promised him.

"I know you can do accidents, Jason, I'm just a little worried about your focus right now because Sam is involved. If something goes wrong they could wipe us off the map." Sonny warned him.

"Stop worrying, I have to talk to Sam before anything happens. I'll let you know what needs to happen." Jason left it there. They would be in touch soon enough and Sonny had other informants to tap before Jason had the whole picture.

He headed back over to find Scott sitting back in his chair. He was just about to head back over to finish that conversation when...

"No!" Sam came to with a spastic jerk, nearly rolling out of the bed as she screamed out in panic. Jason changed his trajectory, rushing through the curtains to get to her side. Jason eased her back against the pillow, laying steadying hands against her trembling arms as he tried to soothe her.

"It was just a dream, Sam, it was a dream! You're safe!" Jason rushed out. Recognition lit relief as her eyes met his and she raised, fighting his hold in favor of wrapping her arms around him. Jason let out a gasp of shock muddled in with relief as he wrapped his arms around her as well, bringing his lips to tenderly kiss the top of her head. "Everything's going to be okay." he whispered.

He held her until the trembling stopped and she slowly began to pull away. Jason sank into the seat at her bedside and reached for her hand, glad that she had turned to him, that she wasn't pushing him away, not that he deserved it. "I'm so sorry. I never should have said what I did last night on the docks. I could make all these excuses about how shocked I was and about things being different than they were," He swallowed tightly. "Me being different, but you shouldn't have to listen to excuses and there's no reason justified enough to warrant what I said, the way that I acted, and I don't blame you if you..." He looked down and choked the last part out. "Don't want to see me again..."

Sam squeezed his hand and he looked back up to see a soft half smile playing at the corner of her lips. "Apology accepted."

Jason's eyebrow raised and though he was obviously relieved he had to know. "Just like that? I mean I was..."

"Oh no, not just like that...you'll be on probation for the rest of your natural life." Sam smirked. Jason smiled back and leaned in to catch her lips with his own.

"I can live with that." He whispered against hers. He felt Sam initial tense but then relax into the kiss, and while she seemed receptive there was also a vein of nervousness he felt in her. They broke away but still held tightly to each others hand.

"So what's the verdict?" She asked as she motioned to her surroundings as if wanting him to overlook her reaction to the kiss. Jason let it go out of necessity.

"Robin, said you need stitches in your foot. But you and the baby are alright. A little dehydrated, but otherwise fine. She wants to run a few tests just to make sure and wants to keep you over night." Jason gave her the run down as short and sweet as he could make it. Although there was nothing sweet about any of it. He watched her reaction worriedly, seeing her grimace at the thought of stitches in her foot, relief when she found that her and the baby were alright and then growing fear when she learned that she was supposed to stay over night.

"No, no I'm not staying. Robin can run her tests and you can take me to the penthouse. She can call in the morning. I'm not staying, I just got out of captivity, I cannot feel like I'm trapped here. I want to go home. Our home." She was on the verge of tears.

"Okay, okay. I'll talk to Robin, Sam, you don't have to stay here if you don't want to." He promised her. "I'll take you home."

It was long wait though and Jason hated that. He stayed by her side as Robin first numbed and then put 14 stitches in her foot. There was blood drawn, and of course quite a bit of discouraging leaving early, but in the end Sam won out and the decision was made to release her so that she could go home with Jason so long as she wasn't alone and got some much needed rest.

Sam had to be reassured of several things before they even left the hospital, the first of which was that the baby was indeed alright and Robin explained that her initial findings were very good, but that she would know more in the morning at which time she would let Sam know. The second was that Molly was safe. Jason explained that Max and Milo were going to be her new best friends.

Jason made a call to Alexis and let her know that he was taking Sam home, so that she could visit her there later instead of the hospital, thankfully she didn't find out that they were leaving against Robin's advise. And then there was Scott.

Jason had the opportunity to talk once more with him briefly while Sam was with Robin and he offered his assistance in making sure that Sam was protected. Jason accepted his offer. Luckily he had the extra room in the penthouse turned into a guest room, so they could accept guests.

So it was that Jason called Spinelli to let him know that he needed to get the apartment ready for the fair Samantha's return, praying for once that Spinelli did go overboard. He explained that Sam needed maternity clothes which Spinelli was all too happy to delegate out.

It was near nightfall by the time Jason was finally able to bring her home. Scott had gone to clean out his room at the Metro Court and settle the bill so it was just the two of them...

Sam lulled her head against Jason's chest as he carried her in the front door. The strict staying off her feet policy already in effect. Jason had some crutches for her if she had to use them, but with the stairs in the apartment it looked like Fair Samantha was truly about to get the royal treatment. "You can't carry me everywhere for 2 weeks."

"Not everywhere, but I think you should stay off the crutches for the first few days anyway." Jason advised.

"Alright, Dr. Morgan, but only because I don't think I want to leave the bed for that long anyway." Sam suddenly had to cover her mouth as she looked at the sight that was Jason's apartment, well their apartment and Spinelli's...but oh how a things had changed.

Jason was instantly regretting his wish that Spinelli go overboard...

Spinelli came running and closed the door behind them into their new overflowing spa home...

Jason and Sam were both looking around the living room in wide eyed wonder. There on the coffee table was a bowl exuding a fine white mist that made the whole of the place smell like rose water and sandal wood. There were candles lit everywhere and where the pool table once resided now there was a massage table, complete with removable recesses for pregnant belly's.

Jason could only imagine what the rest of the apartment looked like.

Spinelli beheld his fair Samantha with tears in his eyes. It was one thing to hear that she was alive, but to finally see her, to see that she was alright, for the most part, he was so overjoyed. "Your palace of relaxation awaits Madam." He smiled with a half hysterical chuckle.

"Aw Spinelli, this is beautiful." Sam was teary herself as she reached out for a hug from Jason's arms. Spinelli jumped at the chance but then quickly retreated at a look he got from Jason.

"I've also taken the initiative to run a bubble bath with a stool aside the tub to rest your injured foot upon." Spinelli offered as a suggestion for what she might enjoy next now that she was home.

"Oh that sounds like heaven." Sam smiled. She felt like she'd been dragged from a slave pit into the lap of luxury.

"And a masseuse will be here at 3 tomorrow after noon for your daily massage." Spinelli explained even more excited since she loved the first surprise.

"Spinelli," Jason cautioned a little worried that Sam was going to get overwhelmed.

"What? The Fair Samantha needs to be surrounded by exceeding relaxation and calming influences, all of which I have endeavored to provide. Aside from the luxuries before you I have stocked the pantry and refrigerator with comforting yet nutritious delicacies that all can appreciate." Spinelli replied evenly. Well as evenly as Spinelli replied anything.

Sam quieted any more of Jason's protests. "It's very sweet and I think a bubble bath is just what I need." She wasn't sure about daily massages but one or two in the next few days sounded like great. Still there was a lingering ache in her heart at what anyone might think when they saw her back. Especially Jason. She didn't want him to see it, not until they could talk first. It was hard getting around to what actually happened.

"If you can get me to the bathroom I can take it from there." Sam told Jason finally and then she looked to Spinelli gratefully. "Thank you, Spinelli."

When it was just her and Jason going up the steps she rested her head against him once more. "Don't be too hard on him and honestly the place smells wonderful and the bath does sound great. Did you ask him to do all this?" Sam raised her head to meet his eyes when he looked down at her.

"I asked him to help me welcome you home." Jason confessed as he looked down at her with a half smile, glad that Spinelli knew what he was doing.

"Well you both did a great job." Sam smiled...

_Next Chapter: Sam and Jason get a chance to talk, more of Azim's plans are reveals, as well as the past... _


	5. War Stories

**The Long Road Home**

_Well my updates will be a little slower the next few days – School and life :) Thanks so much for all the reviews so far :thanks: I do really appreciate them. I hope everyone enjoys this update and that you will let me know if you like it or not. Please Review :) _

**War Stories**

**Nearly Seven Months Ago...**

_This definitely wasn't what he was expecting._

_When Troy Benson, one of Jason's overseas contacts, told him that he had a guy that could fly him into Algeria by way of Tunisia Jason couldn't pass up the chance. Troy said that the guy was a little rough a round the edges, a little different, but a damn good pilot. What he didn't say was that he lived in a shack in the middle of nowhere drinking his liver under the table. _

_Jason pulled up to what passed as a home for 'Bagger' Barns, and parked the jeep. His faith in Bagger was already on shaky ground as he climbed out of the jeep, duffel slung over his shoulder, sun glasses slipping low on his nose. There was a brown weather beaten couch strewn in front of the shack like some joke of lawn adornment. Jason could only assume the scraggly bag of bones lying on the couch on his stomach was Bagger. The guys arm had slipped off and trailed to the sand, his hand still wrapped around the half finished bottle of rum. _

_Jason approached the sight his hopes dwindling. He supposed that anyone crazy enough to fly a hit man into a war zone with heavy flight restrictions did come without issues, but he was doubting the man's ability to even get him into the country now. Jason dropped the duffel next to the couch and Bagger jumped awake. 'At least he's still alive' That had to be a plus in his favor, right?_

_Bagger looked up at Jason, squinting in the noonday sun. "You the jokester that wants to fly into Algeria?" He asked with a thick Australian accent. _

"_Depends, you the pilot?" Jason replied listening for a slur. This guy sure as hell wasn't flying him in there still drunk. _

_Bagger struggled off his stomach into a sit and offered an oil stained hand to Jason. "None other, Bagger Barns at your service." Jason looked long and hard at the hand and frowned, finally he came to a decision and he took out half the cash he owed for the flight. Jason slapped said cash into Bagger's hand instead of shaking it._

"_Half now, half when we land." Jason grabbed his duffel back up. "Where's your rig?" _

_Bagger rose to his feet with a growing smile. "I like your style." He flipped through the stack and then shoved it into his pants pocket all while rounding the corner of his shack, which was on a steep incline. Around the corner and down the drop off there was a strip of land that looked barely long enough to accommodate a take off and past that there was a small hanger. Parked in front of the hanger was a tiny excuse of a plane that Jason felt like he needed tetanus shot just to look at. _

"_You have got to be kidding me..." Jason closed his eyes with a shake of his head. If this was the only way into Algeria, the only way to make sure Sam was safe, he'd take it. _

**Present Day...**

The night gave way to day and cast it's sunlit kiss over the apartment, rays streaming through the hinted slits through the blinds, playing with the shadows across the floor. Sam barely made it through her bath before she needed the solace of sleep. It was awkward for Jason. He wasn't sure she wanted to pick right up from where they had been or not. There was still so much that they needed to talk about. She was pregnant with another man's baby and he wasn't sure if she had feelings for someone else or if this Azim guy was the father and had raped her. His head was a mess with possibilities, so that when she passed out in the bed they used to share he took to the couch.

She was already asleep when he made the decision so she had no hand in it, but he hoped that they could clear the confusion between them soon. Scott, who was now settled into the guest room, seemed adamant that Sam wanted to get back to him so Jason could only pray that meant back to their relationship, their engagement, as well.

Jason woke with groan, his whole body sore from his less than ideal sleeping spot. It didn't help that Spinelli was fiddling with something in the kitchen, metal clinking against metal. Jason looked behind him through the open door that lead to the kitchen to see Scott leaning against the counter, sipping coffee and reading the paper, while Spinelli darted in and out of line of sight, apparently making breakfast.

Jason frowned about to tell him to keep it down but the phone ringing on his nearby desk caught him before he could. He rushed to it and picked it up hoping that it hadn't had enough time to wake Sam. "Morgan." He answered it at a pant.

"Sorry it's so early, I was about to go off shift and I just got Sam's results back. I just wanted to let you know what they were before I went home to crash." Robin greeted him tiredly.

"No it's okay. Most everyone is up here anyway, I'm just trying to let Sam sleep." Jason turned when Spinelli came out with a large bowl of mixed fruit and placed it on the table, but he otherwise ignored him. "What's the results?" Jason asked nervously.

"All great. Sam and the baby are both healthy. Just tell her to take it easy. I don't want her under any more stress for the next month." Jason raised his head, looking heavenward a moment in quiet thanks to God. He was so overjoyed that they were both alright that he almost missed it. Almost.

"Wait, Month?" Jason asked as his brain fought to catch up with his pristine instincts. "Sam shouldn't be due for more like two or three months, right." Jason knew that she was well rounded, but she was small, pregnancy showed on her early. He'd seen it.

"From all the measurements we got we calculated 4 to 6 weeks until she's due. It must be so crazy for you right now. Finding out that your fiance is still alive and then that you're going to be a father. If you need anything you know I'm here, right?"

"I appreciate it." Jason swallowed tightly as he numbly did the math, closing his eyes as he and Robin said their goodbyes and he slowly hung the phone up.

Sam was pregnant before she went to Africa.

The baby was his.

**Nearly Seven Months ago...**

_As if first impressions hadn't been bad enough..._

_Jason crossed his arms over his chest as he watched what passed as ritual going on before him. Bagger was anointing his plane with Rum with a priest's aspergillum while saying what sounded like a joke reserved for pilots who flew in more orthodox circles. "Oh controller, who sits in tower, hallowed be thy sector. Thy traffic come, thy instructions be done on the ground as they are in the air. Give us this day our radar vectors, and forgive us our TCA incursions as we forgive those who cut us off on final. And lead us not into adverse weather, but deliver us our clearances...Roger." _

_Finally the guy opened up the door and motioned for Jason to get in. Jason gave a shake of his head as he uncrossed his arms and picked up his bag once more. Troy was getting a piece of his mind when he got Sam and himself safely back home. Just as Jason was about to pull himself into the plane Bagger slung the aspergillum at him, slinging rum on him in a cross pattern. When Jason shot a glare in his direction Bagger replied with unwavering confidence. " It's bad luck to break with tradition." _

_Jason didn't have a reply to that, he was just praying that this guy could land him in one piece. What came next surprised him. Because for all his peculiarities Bagger Barns was one of the best pilots he'd ever flown with. He skirted under the radar and kept them out of sight of both the rebels and the government all while singing Blondie's greatest hits._

_By the time they landed on the outskirts of no where the man had enough of his respect to ask him to help extract Sam...but when the time came...there was no Sam to extract._

_Or so Jason thought._

**Present Day... **

Jason leaned against the door jam of the bedroom, one arm supporting his other elbow and a hand thoughtfully covering his chin and mouth. He watched Sam sleeping, curled in on herself as much as she could, looking so small under the blankets. There was a war going on his mind, a war fought on the battle field of guilt bleeding regret. He'd been so close. He'd come across oceans and deserts and if for one moment he hadn't bought the idea that she was truly killed he would have found her. He could have spared her and his child all the injustice and heartache of having to fight to survive, to find their own way home.

"Jason?" Sam woke slowly and he was so bent on making himself pay for all that had happened that he missed her gentle stirrings. Calling his name brought his attention fully to her and he spanned the distance between them quickly.

Sam looked from Jason's fast approach and the side of the bed that should have been as rumpled as her own. "You didn't sleep in here?"

"I wasn't sure you wanted me to." Jason replied as he sank onto the bed next to her, gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"Of Course I did." Sam whispered as she met his eyes, searching there for the thoughts that never found a voice. She narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Where do I start?" Jason gave a scoff in disbelief.

"Is it the test results?" Sam sat up worriedly and Jason quickly enveloped her in his embrace reassuringly.

"No, no, Robin called. Everything is fine. You and the baby are both healthy." Jason calmed her realizing his mistake as soon as he saw the worry cross her features. "Sam did you know when you were due? What about health care while you were gone?" Jason pulled back so that he could search her eyes.

It took her a moment to answer. "Azim had doctors, but they didn't tell me much, I mean at first I didn't understand them and then when I could they didn't say anything in front of me."

"So he's the one that had you this whole time?" He never thought the questions would be so hard to get out, but every words was a stab of guilt that he had let this happen by not looking for her.

"Most of it." She leaned back against the pillows trying to get comfortable as she fought to find a place to rest her gaze that didn't seem awkward. Her eyes were tearing up.

"We don't have to talk about this..." She cut him off.

"No, we should. You need to know what happened. And to understand why I did what I did." Sam swallowed tightly. Sam patted the bed beside her as if asking him to get comfortable next to her and when he did move, rolling onto his side so that he could face her, they intertwined their fingers as though to give each other the strength to both convey and to hear what was to come next.

"I was sectioned off into a group of refugees that the rebels were planning on selling as slaves. We were bound and shipped in trucks to the edge of no where. Then we marched down trails too narrow to get through by the trucks. We marched for days, could have been weeks. That's when I started getting sick and at the time I just though it was something like a bug or flu – I don't know. Later I had my suspicions that I might be pregnant. I didn't know though, I never really did know when it happened." Sam wiped a stray tear and sniffed back as much of the emotions as she could before she could go on.

"The caravan we were traveling with was attacked 5 days into the Sahara. The rebels put up a fight, but in the end they didn't want to give up their lives for us. The nomads took the ones they wanted of us and killed the rest." Sam closed her eyes as she explained as if fighting the horrors that her memory held.

"They found your engagement ring at the battle sight." Jason nodded.

"It must have been on one of the rebels, they'd already stripped us of everything valuable, including my ring." Sam's face crumble at the thought, reliving that heart breaking moment all over and Jason was quick to console her wishing he could kill them all, every single one of them that hurt her.

"Did any of the rebels or nomads, did they..." Jason broke off fighting to regain the composure to ask her the even harder questions.

"They wouldn't have wanted to soil the merchandise." Sam sniffled. Jason let out a breath in relief for that one mercy but it was coupled with the disgust that anyone could think of another human being as merchandise. "The nomads sold me to Azim. He collects wives, there was no ceremony, no choices. As soon as he bought me I was his wife. I'm not sure if it's a law there or if it even matters. He seems to play by his own laws." Sam swallowed tightly before she could go on.

"I tried to run away, but Azim was quick to let me know how serious he took problem concubines. He had me whipped. It was weeks before I got up enough strength to try another way out, but I was caught again. It was worse that time." Sam settled into Jason's chest, breathing him in in comfort. Jason's heart was shattering as his other fears were being confirmed one by one. He as fighting the rage that his monster inspired in favor of comforting Sam.

"I was starting to realize that I might be pregnant and that the head on run wasn't going to work. Azim had so many wives already and I was just one in handful. There weren't choices, we were property. Azim and I hadn't...I mean he hadn't tried to sleep with me yet but I knew if he found out – I mean If I was pregnant that he would kill me. And I needed time to build up enough trust to get him to let his guard down...so I could escape without being caught again. So I..." Sam broke off having trouble getting out the next part as her voice was now choked with shame. "I seduced him."

Silence hung heavy as Jason closed his eyes, rage at his inaction building. "You did what you had to do and I'm so sorry that that was the only choice you had, Sam." The reassurance didn't make it much easier to go on, but Sam somehow managed.

"I still didn't know, still don't know if I was pregnant before we slept together."

"You were." Jason replied with a soft kiss to the top of her head as he blinked back tears. Sam looked up startled looking for an explanation. "Robin said you only have another month til you're due, looking at the measurements. You were pregnant before you slept with Azim."

Sam's lip quivered as the hope that she'd seen dwindling for months was suddenly made real. She had prayed, begged God for this one miracle and here it was delivered from the lips of the very man she had prayed would be the father. Their eyes met in a whirlpool of stifling emotions, moving them in unison as Sam wrapped her hand around Jason's neck to draw him closer while he simultaneously pulled her closer to him at the hip until her belly bumped his hard ribbed abdomen and his lips met hers.

The bittersweet kiss left them both floundering for air as soft touches mingled with tears and after each gasp they found their way to connect once more as if somehow the joy of this one moment could bridge the months in between. It was Jason that finally broke the spell, with a hitch of his breath as he looked in stunned wonder to where his hand rested on Sam's belly, feeling the gentle prodding of the baby kicking against his hand.

Sam likewise felt it as both proud parents smiles lit the room, tender laughter sweeping the heavy hearts up out of the mire that had been wrought from the long fight to survive.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Mal Farrak walked into the penthouse suite, peeling out of his coat. Azim was on the phone, pacing the living room area. Farrak could not for the life of him understand Azim's obsession with Samantha. It was like a compulsion, she wouldn't submit and he couldn't stand it. She was some prize to be broken in and set upon his shelf and Farrak was so tired of his rantings on the subject. He would do anything to help Azim get this over with so that life could be steered back towards business.

Farrak was sure that the majority of Azim's compulsion was made worse when he realized that Samantha was pregnant. His fortress already operated like a small city onto itself so there was always a doctor on staff at the house. She'd been well cared for, her and the baby save when she tried to escape and while once she was with child Azim did try to mitigate the damage he wrought on her body, there were always consequences.

After a while Samantha had done her best to fall inline but Farrak had seen that she was up to something. Still he let it go in favor of things getting back to normal. Azim was going about daily life, he was running the business like an iron fist, his mind wasn't haunted by Samantha's possible betrayals. Farrak had warned him about trusting her, but Azim really thought she was broken – she was his. He gave her too much slack and now they were stuck in this excuse of a town, with Azim even more obsessed than before.

So if he wanted to capture her little sister to keep her in line and that would solve all of this than Farrak was all for it. He sank onto the couch across from Azim said his goodbyes and got off the phone.

"It's all set." Azim smirked triumphantly. "Once Giuseppe heard that my wife and her sister had been taken prisoner by the Corinthos organization, he was more than willing to order his local branches of the family to assist us. He's even flying in one of his personal enforcers from Malta."

Farrak nodded, silently thanking all that was holy for small favors.

"We should be on our way home by morning."

_Next Chapter: More about what happened and Azim's plan goes into action._


	6. Cruel Summer

**The Long Road Home**

Thanks for all the reviews :Thanks: It'll be Monday or Tuesday before the next update, most likely. I hate homework :P Please let me know if you like this update and I hope you enjoy.

**Cruel Summer**

**One Month Ago…**

She never thought that she could despise sand, that vacations to the beach would now be taboo, all because some narcissistic arms dealer had to subjugate women to make him feel more like a man. She wasn't sure what made her sicker, the fact that he was currently holding seven women against their will claiming all of them as wives or that she was one of them. She had never felt so helpless. It took every ounce of will power to remind herself every passing day that her inaction was a means to an end. That every vehement word she wanted to spit in his face was held back for a reason, every chance that she didn't take was a conscious effort to protect the life growing inside her.

She was slowly forming a plan, working the angles, the long con, trying desperately to remain sane while letting that bastard paw her when it suited him, pretending that she liked it, him. Letting him believe that the whippings she'd received because of trying to escape early on had truly convinced her to make the best of the situation here. Sam sat in the window, looking out over Azim's 'city'.

To an outsider it might seem somewhat romantic. The town was situated on a plateau surrounded on all sides by the Sahara. Azim's palace home was the focal point, though heavy gates and walls separated it from the main hub of the city. The whole sight was an awe inspiring wealth of high domes and elaborate arches, even the apartments where most of the city's dwellers lived. There were orchards and gardens all supplied water from the spring that made the whole oasis a possibility. To provide entertainment for his residence Azim had a movie theater and two clubs built. There was a grocery store and a park, swimming pools. It was a paradise, on the outside.

So long as no one scratched the surface it was wonderful. But if one stared into the heart of the beast it was near impossible to get out with the soul intact. Azim's rule was the only law of the land and he had a small army to carry out that law. Punishment was at the discretion of his royal psychoness and was carried out with unflinching swift reproach.

Sam had seen horrors that she wished she could erase. Azim's idea of a public execution left her physically sick. Not to mention he knew how to hold a grudge. She seen an entire convey sent to make amends from a rival organization gunned down on approach. The men that survived…they were chained in public and left to die slowly before everyone and no one lifted a finger. Sam couldn't have done anything for them. She wasn't allowed out of the palace, not yet anyway.

She knew that Azim let the other brides out into the market but only after he trusted them and even then it they had to be with a body guard or two, not that anyone in their right mind would lay a hand on them.

Sam was shunned by the other brides. She invaded their world, not by choice, but they accepted their place, and she was the new toy. Azim took a special interest in her and that gave Sam more status than them. She didn't care about the social dynamic, but it alienated her and she felt even more alone, until Madjera took an interest in her. Sam called her Madi. Madi was Azim's oldest wife and she looked after the children.

When Sam wasn't working out or otherwise making sure that her body was kept in pristine condition for Azim, she helped Madjera with the children. It gave her a sense of purpose, even though she felt horrible that anyone had to grow up tied to such a monster. She wished there was a way that she could get them all out. Spare them somehow from Azim's world. It wasn't like Sonny and Jason's. Sam knew better than to romanticize the Corinthos family, but they had a code, they would never do the things that Azim did in the name of business or necessity.

And while Sonny and Jason would take some drastic measures to eliminate a threat they were never unnecessarily cruel or brutal. Azim was a sadist and it bled through in every avenue of his life. Sleeping him was like a field trip into hell made more unbearable by having to pretend to like it. It was the hardest con of her life, but the stakes made it livable.

Sam leaned against an archway that bore a passage into the enclosed date orchard, watching as Azim's eight children running amidst the trees, laughing as one of the guards shook the dates free from his perch near the leafy palms. It was strange to find beauty so thickly intertwined with such a black heart. Sam lovingly stroked her belly over the coral silken sun dress, only half listening as Madi was trying to help her with her Arabic vocabulary.

"You seem happy, today." Madi spoke in English. They'd been helping each other learn. Despite their blossoming friendship, Sam didn't trust anyone enough to tell them about her plans, but it was because of them that she was happy.

"The baby's been kicking. I think I'm just excited." Sam lied easily, even as she wished that she could talk to Madi, really talk to her. Her life had become a lonely and scary one.

"A new life is always something to be excited about." Madi smiled warmly.

"Not everyone would agree with you." Sam sighed as she looked back out over the orchard, watching the children once more. "but I do."

Madi was quiet for a long while and Sam didn't miss that she was watching the guards, refraining from going on until they were out of ear shot. "I talked to Paresh."

Sam's smile faded as she held tighter to her belly, feeling the world spinning around her. She felt a steadying hand at the small of her back as Madi could see that the color was draining from her face, and for good reason. Sam whole plan rested with Paresh. Paresh was a guard that worked for Azim, the only one she found who had a heart. He'd been there the days she'd been whipped and she could see in his eyes that he didn't agree with Azim's actions.

Luckily, Paresh had been recently assigned to be her body guard. It had taken her almost a month to feel him out and build her relationship with him. Aside from Madi he was her only other confidante. Paresh was helping her devise a plan that would allow her to escape and put miles between herself and Azim before he ever realized that she was gone. She needed that time in order to garner protection for herself.

"Calm, calm, Samantha, I will not tell. He is a trusted friend of mine as well and I thought that you were making plans. He will not betray you either. I have a present for you," Madi slipped her hand into Sam's and Sam felt the money crinkle against her palm, hidden by their touch. "You will need it."

Sam watched for the guards and met Madi's eyes. "You should come with us, Madi, you don't want to stay here."

Madi smiled sadly. "I can't leave the children and there is no way for all of us to get out." She told her softly. "I stay for them." Sam squeezed her hand in understanding.

"Thank you." She whispered. Sam was still scared to trust but this was still her only way out and she had to risk it. Madi stayed to protect her children and Sam had to leave to do the same.

**Present Day… **

"What happened to Paresh?" They were gathered around the coffee table finishing dinner, and listening to tales from Sam's captivity. Scott asked the question but Jason frowned as he could see how much recanting the story was taking out of Sam. She'd already been visiting with her mother and sisters, gotten a massage, and now with this little story about the woman that helped her, Sam looked ready to crash.

"That's a story for another day." Sam smiled tiredly and Jason could tell that it wouldn't be a happy one as her smile began to dwindle.

"When you're ready," Jason rubbed her arms delicately and then pulled her back against him so she could lean on him as he leaned against the couch. She relaxed against him and her eyes fluttered sleepily before she settled against his chest. Scott took that as his cue.

"I'll clean up…" He offered and was quit to grab up the near empty plates, to get out of their way. Spinelli had run out to help Sonny with something, something Jason wanted an update on, seeing as he was currently in the dark, but it could wait for now.

"I haven't felt this safe in an eternity." Sam's voice was already thick in anticipation of slumber and Jason swept her hair off her shoulder, while leaning down to kiss her head gently.

"I'm not going to let that bastard anywhere near you, Sam." Jason promised her. "And soon no one will have to worry about him." He felt Sam stiffen in his arms and silently cursed himself, it wasn't the right thing to say at the moment. Jason fully intended on killing the monster.

"Jason, I just want this over and I don't want you going to jail or getting hurt. I just want this over." Sam looked up, meeting his eyes, pleading.

"Sam, it's almost over. But you know he's not going to stop until someone puts him down." Jason stroked his thumb across her cheek and felt her relaxing a bit. "He's going to try something and when he does I'll have every right, no jail, no injury, just ridding the world of one more heartless son of a bitch."

Sam gave a soft nod, but Jason could still see the fear in her eyes. Still she relaxed once more as best she could. "I know, I just…" Sam closed her eyes. "I want this over."

"It will be soon." Jason promised her.

**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**

Johnny Zacchara rolled with a groan and swatted at the alarm clock. As soon as his hand connected he expected the annoying bleeping to go away, but it didn't. Johnny peaked out from under the pillow he'd buried his head under to see the clock reading 1:15 am and his phone was dancing across the nightstand. He swiped it up and answered it, fear dancing through him as he wondered what could have happened to warrant a middle of the night call.

"Hello?" He wiped the sleep from his eyes sitting up in the bed.

"I hope you consider us even after this," came the raspy reply. Johnny narrowed his eyes trying to place the voice. There was a thick Italian accent…and that rasp. "Angelo Cordon just made it through customs at the LaGuardia. He'll be on his way to Port Charles to help the local Valenti clan take on Sonny Corinthos and friends. I thought that seeing as how you and Sonny are getting along at the moment that you might want to watch your back."

Johnny finally figured it out. It was one of Valenti's kids in Malta. He'd had the misfortune of saving his life a few years back. "I appreciate the tip." Johnny told him quickly. "Although I don't think it qualifies us as even, but it's a good start. Thanks." Johnny cut the call short and quickly dialed Sonny up, all while getting out of the bed and heading to the closet to grab some clothes.

"Yeah," Sonny answered sounding as if he'd been woken as well.

"Why's Giuseppe Valenti coming after us?" Johnny asked rather grumpily as he slipped on a pair of slacks.

"He needs a reason?" Sonny asked, knowing full well that Valenti had wanted to expand into his territories for years. Sonny pulled the covers back and swung his legs to the floor.

"He flew in an enforcer from Malta, the guy just landed at LaGuardia." Johnny replied with a hint of a growl in his voice. He fished a shirt out of the closet. "It sounds like their planning to hit you hard and fast. What did you do to piss this guy off?"

"It doesn't concern you." Sonny said shortly.

"It does if you want my help." Johnny retorted.

"I'm trying to shield you from this, Johnny." Sonny promised him.

"I don't want to be shielded, I want to know what's going on, because if there is a war I'm not standing on the side lines watching my men get killed in the cross fire." Johnny heard Sonny pause.

"I think it's a ploy. There's an arms dealer in town that wants Sam McCall."

"Sam McCall? She's dead isn't she?" Johnny asked in confusion.

"No it was a mistake, she was held overseas against her will by the arms dealer that's making a play for her. I think he's setting Valenti on us to cause confusion, a distraction. Not to mention weakening two large organizations sets him up better as far as the market goes." Sonny sighed. "Are you sure they sent in an enforcer?"

"Yeah, guy who owed me a favor gave me a call from Malta."

Sonny rubbed his temples as he got to his feet. "Alright, this guy must be good then and coupled with the men and the enforcer that's local, they're looking for a fight soon. They don't want to lose the element of surprise. I need to make some calls and you should do whatever you need to safe guard yours." Sonny told him.

"Alright, be careful."

"Same to you," Sonny got off the phone and headed to his closet. He then quickly dialed Jason's number.

Jason rolled over and grabbed the phone as quick as he could, trying to keep it from waking Sam, who was sleeping tucked flush against his side in the bed.

"Yeah?" he whispered his greeting as he gently pulled the blanket back and tried to ease himself out of the bed without waking her.

"We've got a problem." Sonny said immediately. "Valenti's making a play. Zacchara got a call from Malta puts a Valenti enforcer at LaGuardia headed to Port Charles. He'll be meeting up with the local family to take us on. I think Azim is pulling the strings. He can use it as a distraction to make a play for Sam."

"Why go to all that trouble? There had to be a more simple way to go after her." Jason scratched the back of his head as he headed out of the room so he could speak up.

"He gets in good with Valenti and corners the market on arms dealing in Malta, that's a big win for anyone. Plus he weakens us and makes it more difficult to come after him once he's out of the country." Sonny reasoned looking at the business end of it.

Jason walked down the hallway and knocked lightly on Scott's door to get him up. He then headed down the stairs. "Okay that makes sense." Jason agreed.

"I want you to take Sam and her sister's, Carly and the kids and get out of Port Charles until I get things squared away with Valenti and we take out this Azim guy." Sonny told him his plan and Jason hated it instantly. God he wanted to take Azim out on his own and running was the last thing on his mind. But Sam…she'd already been through so much.

"Sonny, I don't want to run."

"I know you don't. I don't want to uproot my family, but they need to be somewhere safe, and that's not here. You're the only person I trust to protect them through this and Sam needs you." Sonny replied heatedly. "I'll have the jet fueled; just meet Carly and the kids there. I'll have Max and Milo bring Molly and Kristina…"

"You expect Alexis to go for that?" Jason knew Sonny meant well, but he wasn't sure they could get everyone on board in an hour.

"If she wants to protect her children she'll have to be." Sonny replied in exasperation. Jason turned to see Scott coming down the stairs waiting for him to get off the phone so he could explain to him what was going on. "You need to make her understand."

"Sonny it's not going to work. We need more time. We're going to have to make a stand, the only real option we've got right now is where to make it and that option is quickly slipping through our fingers." Jason argued. "LaGuardia isn't that far and once their man gets here unless they act right then they lose any advantage they had. They're coming and they're coming soon."

Sonny took a long pause before he seemed to accept Jason's argument. "Alright, then we divide their forces. If we all come together we make it too easy for them. I'll send more guards to Alexis's and Carly's, how are you situated?"

"I could use a few more men here." Jason conceded.

"You'll have them." Sonny promised. "I'm going to make those other calls. Be careful." Sonny ended the conversation and Jason quickly hung the phone up hurrying to the closet, where he pulled out a black bag.

Scott had folded his arms over his chest and was leaning against the wall, waiting for an explanation. "Azim, just made his play, there are people on their way to take us down." Jason explained as he started unloading guns onto his desk. "How are you with a gun?"

"Fair." Scott admitted as he pushed off the wall and made his way over looking in awe at the abundance of fire arm choices. "You know Sam never talked about what your line of work was, but I think I'm getting a pretty good idea." Scott swallowed tightly. "Glad to have you on our side."

"We need to wake Sam and Spinelli and get situated. Sonny's got more men on their way here to help maintain the perimeter, but Azim's going to use the confusion of the fight to try something to get Sam." Jason reasoned. Scott nodded following along as they both started loading one gun after another.

_Next Chapter: All hell breaks loose. _


	7. All Hell Breaks Loose

**The Long Road Home**

_In answer to a few questions : No I do not think that I actually did say what the nature of everyone's relationships were in this fic. I'm still playing catch up on a lot that's happened on the show and I just liked it when Johnny and Sonny got along, so I decided to play it out like that here. I honestly hadn't paid much mind to Claudia as I haven't seen a lot of the s/l's that she was in( Now I must hurry to check those out :P) But for the purpose of this story Sonny and Carly are divorced and Claudia is still alive ( seeing as Johnny and Sonny are getting along so well) but she and Sonny aren't together._

_And no Sam hasn't told them everything exactly, but it will all come out eventually. _

_Thanks So much for the reviews :Thanks: I look forward to hearing what you think about this update._

**All Hell Breaks Loose**

Jason slid a bag of clips next to the front door and turned on his heels, heading up the stairs. "I want you with Sam and Spinelli." Jason called over his shoulder to Scott.

Scott gave a nod as he finished strapping another gun to his hip. He followed Jason up the stairs so that they could finish the conversation. "Where are you going to be?" He asked worriedly.

"There are only two ways up. The guards and I will stake out the elevators and stairwells, to take Valenti and Azim's men down before they have a chance to get to the penthouse." Jason explained as he pushed open Spinelli's door and flipped on the lights. "Rise and Shine!" He called without stopping on his way to wake Sam.

Spinelli jumped awake looking around in confusion and then scrambled out of the bed when he realized that it was only a little after one in the morning. Spinelli raced to the door his mind trying to shake the fog of sleep in an attempt to understand what was going on. "Stone Cold?" He asked sticking his head out the door only to find that Jason and Scott had moved on. He arched an eyebrow and followed out into the hall trying to catch up with them in pursuit of some answers.

Spinelli caught up with Scott in the hallway outside Jason and Sam's room. "Does the Wise Captain know the misgivings that find us all awake at this early morning hour?"

"Jason just got a tip that we could be attacked at any minute." Scott told him softly. He watched Spinelli not sure how he would react and frowned as he saw the color drain from his face. "I'm sure we'll be alright."

"Of Course, yes, In Stone Cold's capable hands we shall prevail." Spinelli nodded nervously.

Jason eased into bed next to Sam wishing that he didn't have to wake her with this news. She had been through so much already and here they were about to be thrown into another battle. God,... that there was some way to break this with tenderness. If there was a way he lost any chance of conveying it as an explosion rocked the city beyond the window pane, the reverberation from the blast rattling the windows and sending a quake through the whole place.

Sam bolted upright inadvertently colliding with Jason who quickly pulled her into his arms. Another explosion had her jumping once more as she turned in his arms to look out the window in horror. Still another followed the second and she turned her terror filled gaze to Jason in questioning. "Jason, what..."

Jason got to his feet still holding Sam and started for the door. "Azim's set Valenti's men on us. He's covering his tracks, keeping the police busy so that they can come for us." Jason headed out the door at a sprint hurrying down the stairs as it was becoming apparent that the situation was worse then he thought. They didn't even have an hour and Sonny's men weren't going to make it to the penthouse before Valenti's. The explosions had to be the cue to move. "Spinelli call Sonny, tell him that it's happening now."

"Consider it done." Spinelli called back as he and Scott raced down the stairs behind him. Spinelli grabbed the phone on the way to the...he frowned curiously as he watched Jason take Sam into the kitchen.

"Grab the bags!" Jason yelled to Scott who was quick to do as he was told. Spinelli dialed Sonny on the move and walked into the kitchen just in time to see Jason pull the refrigerator out from the wall, Sam now perched on the counter. Scott walked in a second later toting the bags of guns and clips. He set them next to Sam on the floor and hurried to help Jason.

Suddenly gunfire erupted through the front door, bullets tearing through everything in their path. Sam pushed herself off the counter, landing on her feet with a wince of pain as her stitches pulled. She crouched as best she could around her belly and pulled a loaded gun from the bag.

"Sam get behind me." Jason called to her just as he and Scott managed to push the refrigerator over. It crashed to the floor, the sound of breaking glass muffled from inside it. They pushed it to the kitchen door and propped the door open with a fire extinguisher to provide more cover. "Stay behind the frig." Jason called over the barrage of gun fire as he saw the first man enter the living room.

Sam sank down between the frig and the cabinets with Spinelli who'd accidentally dropped the phone when the gun fire began. Jason and Scott were crouched down by the frig, near the door and Jason rose just enough to take out the first guy walking into the living room.

**ZZZZZZZZZZZ**

Lucky Spencer grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair in a rush. It was like the whole city had taken a nose dive into hell in the breadth of a second. They were fielding calls about three different explosions and had at least two about shots fired. Lucky knew what it looked like and he was shocked that he hadn't seen it coming. Mob wars usually didn't erupt over night. You could see them coming, watch them brew in a stew of contempt until they exploded.

This was something different.

Lucky took the call that he felt was the most pressing. Sonny could fend off whatever thugs were knocking down his door until they had the other disasters under control. He knew what he was getting into with the life he led. No out of all the reports the one that concerned him the most was the reports of shots fired at Alexis Davis's house. She had two kids at home. She'd tried to escape the life but bearing Sonny's children had a way of sucking everyone back in.

He just hoped that he got there in time.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Sonny cursed under his breath as gun fire sounded outside, still a ways from the house, but it was getting closer. He'd had all of ten minutes!

Johnny needed to get his facts straight.

Whatever options had been on the table were now tossed in a heap to the floor. Sonny had just gotten off the phone with Carly and sent more men her way, but he hadn't had a chance to call Alexis. God, if they went after his kids, if Azim was really after Molly as well as Sam like Jason thought...he balled his fist in growing anger.

Sonny grabbed the phone on the way towards the door, gun settled in his other hand.

He was just about to call Alexis when the phone sprang to life, ringing in his hand.

"Yeah?" He answered in a rush as two of his guys came in to the room to take up defensive positions covering both doors. Sonny let out a cry and pulled the phone away from his ear hearing the gun fire amplified by the speaker. He frowned looking to the caller ID and saw that it was Spinelli.

"Hello?" He yelled, holding the phone away from his ear as he tried to make out anything that Spinelli might be trying to tell him.

But there was no reply. Sonny sighed, praying that they were alright as he hung up and quickly dialed Max.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Max ignored the phone that was vibrating in his pants pocket in favor of surviving the gun fight. Max was covering the front while Milo covered the back. Sonny's other guards fanned out all around the place as they defended it from the sudden insurgent attack.

There had been no warning.

Alexis and Kristina had taken an over night to scout a college leaving Molly in the capable hands of her protectors, Max had her situated in her room in the closet, hoping to keep her out of harms way as he fought to assess how many perpetrators there actually were.

The battle had been going for nearly ten minutes and they still hadn't stormed the house. All he could see were shadows hidden amongst the trees. Max ducked down by the wall near the front door, taking refuge from the next wave of gunfire. When it ceased he quickly moved and took aim, firing in the direction it had come from.

He could hear sirens in the distance and hoped that the police would deter any further escalation.

The give and take of gun play kept up at an even pace as he waited for the flashing strobe of cop cars to flood the drive way, finally the gun fire ceased all together and Max breathed a sigh of relief, closing his eyes for a moment to regain his composure. Max swallowed tightly and finally got back to his feet. He needed to check on Molly and Milo.

Max lowered his gun to his side as Lucky Spencer walked up the front walk to the door, gun in hand. "It's clear." Max assured him and Lucky gave a soft nod easing his stance.

"What happened here?" Lucky asked quickly, worry shinning in his eyes. "Is every one alright?"

"That's what I was about to check." Max admitted. "Molly's the only one home, but she was safe in her closet for the fire fight. As for the rest, they just came out of no where. I don't know what happened."

Lucky nodded once more and took aim as he cautiously moved back down the hallway, making sure that the house was all clear as they made their way back to Molly's room. Max covered him as the other cops fanned out to make sure the perimeter was clear.

Everything looked good and Lucky lowered his gun as he reached the closet door. "Molly, it's detective Lucky Spencer. I'm going to open the door, everything is going to be alright. The bad guys are gone." He assured her, not wanting to get attacked by a twelve year old girl in a state of panic. Lucky pulled the door open and Max moved to get a good look at her, praying she was alright.

The lack of noise should have alerted them to the possibility...

Max and Lucky fought tides of fear rolling in as they peered into the open closet at the patch of nothing that lie beneath them, panic rising. "Molly?" Max rushed forward as though she could be hiding beneath the hanging clothes. When he came up empty once more they both quickly began a frantic search of the rest of the house and finally the back door.

It was there that they came upon Milo, gunned down at the back door, breathing frantically as he was trying to raise up off his back, blood soaking into suite shirt and gurgling from between his lips. Max raced to his brother in horror as Lucky grabbed his police radio in a rush, realizing the severity of the situation. "I need an ambulance at 57 Lake Road," He started back towards the front of the house. "I also need an Amber alert on Molly Davis."

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

There was a growing pile of bodies strewn across the living room and dinning room. Sam watched as Jason ejected a used clip and quickly reloaded another as her hands roamed over her belly protectively. The refrigerator was looking like someone had taken a baseball bat to the back of it as bullet sized indentations were littered all through the inside and the door. None had yet to pierce the metal, but Sam knew it wouldn't hold forever.

A lull in the gun fire had Jason easing up for another look and Sam realized that he was about to leave the safety of the kitchen in favor of driving them back to the elevator. Sam leaned forward worriedly. She knew he knew what he was doing, but she was scared, nerves skinned raw. "Be careful." She whispered with a tight swallow.

"I will." He started over the top of the refrigerator only to quickly drop back down when another barrage of gun fire announced that the next contestants had entered the fight. "Dammit." Jason cursed as he waited for a moment of reprieve so that he could return fire. Suddenly a phone was tossed haphazardly into the doorway, landing in Spinelli's lap.

"Send Samantha out or there will be consequences." Came a thickly accented call from outside the apartment door as the gunfire died down once more, leaving the apartment unoccupied save those that were hiding in the kitchen.

Sam recognized Farrak's voice and let out a gasp in fear at the very thought. She was not going back, God it had taken her months to get out of that tangled hell. She couldn't go back. She couldn't. Jason wouldn't let them take her. She wouldn't let them take her. Sam closed her eyes, reassuring herself that she would safe once this fight was over and Azim was dead.

"Please don't hurt me! Please, no no no no..." It was the shrill sob of panic that broke Sam from her moment of self comfort. In one deft motion all eyes were cast in Spinelli's direction as the phone was now streaming live video and he looked like he was about to have a heart attack, his eyes dancing over the screen in horror.

"No..." Sam whispered her eyes tearing up in terror as she felt her heart plummeting and in that one moment everything she'd just been telling herself had become null and void.

Spinelli turned the phone over so that everyone could see it.

Sam let out a cry, covering her mouth as Molly and Azim were shown seated on a plane, Azim's private jet if she had to guess, but then she wasn't up for guessing. Molly was crying, wrists bound in front of her and Azim was sitting right next to her toying with a knife near her eye. "Oh God..." She cried in horror into her hand.

Jason's eyes widened in fear and raw anger as he watched the whole dynamic of the situation change in a heart beat. "Son of a bitch!" Jason slammed his hand against the door to the frig. Scott watched in disgust and horror moving to avoid Jason's wrath.

"You've got to the count of five to walk out of the kitchen Samantha, or your sister loses an eye. Then we'll go from there..." Farrak explained quickly. "One..."

Sam frantically grabbed for the counter top scrambling to pull herself to her feet in panic and Jason was suddenly scrambling to catch her. "Sam, you can't." Jason got out in a rush.

"Two..."

Sam stopped, meeting Jason's eyes as tears streamed down her face. "Then tell me what else I'm supposed to do?" Scott let out a breath and turned to cover the door now that they were both almost in the open. Jason sniffed back tears and slammed his fist into the counter at the helpless situation he found himself in.

"I don't..." Jason closed his eyes and pulled Sam to him kissing her gently, his still trembling hand roaming over her belly.

"Three..."

Sam pulled away but Jason kept her close, resting his forehead against hers as he fought every instinct in his being that said not to let her go. He couldn't let that monster torture her sister though and he knew she couldn't...God he was going to make him suffer. Sam let out a sob as she closed her eyes a moment, breathing him in. "I'll be right behind you...right behind...and when I get there...I'll kill them all." Jason promised her.

"I know..." She whispered. "I love you..."

"Four..."

Sam pulled away and called out to Farrak. "I'm coming out, now, call Azim off Molly." She nearly growled as Scott lowered the door to the refrigerator so that Jason could help her over it.

Jason set her on the floor on the other side of the refrigerator with a heartbreaking choke of "I love you too...and I'll see you soon." a promise he would keep to hell and back.

He watched in growing rage as Sam limped past the bodies on the floor, looking back over her shoulder several times as if she had to see him to keep going. Finally she disappeared through the doorway and Jason had to duck down once more to escape a sudden burst of gun fire blanketing Farrak's escape with Sam...

_Next Chapter: Jason and Scott track Azim's movements in an attempt to rescue Sam and Molly._


	8. The Chase pt 1

**The Long Road Home**

Disclaimer: I am in no way saying that Arab men despite any religion actually act this way and Molly will Not in any way be subject to any sexual anything. Thanks for the reviews and I hope to hear what you think of the first part of this chapter. Please review :)

**The Chase Part 1**

Sam felt an ache in her chest where her heart was numbly beating, stifled desperation running a marathon in her brain. She limped up the steps, hands protectively shielding her stomach as she crossed the threshold into the private jet's main cabin. They moved in a single file line, Farrak in front of her while more of Azim's men followed behind her. Sam had a driving need to see her sister safe as she dug deep into the reservoirs of strength to get the both of them through this. If Azim hurt one hair on Molly's head she would find a way to make him suffer.

Right now she just needed to buy time. As much faith as she had in her own capabilities this monster was such the control freak that he left little room for error. It was his perfectionism that had hindered her escape attempts in the past. Now with the added handicap of being near term and unable to run well Sam knew she was going to have to trust Jason, something that came easy to her. She just had to buy the time.

Azim stood in the middle of the aisle with Molly situated before him, her fearful eyes lighting on Sam in a mixture of relief and horror. Azim had a knife at his side, close enough to deploy in Molly's throat should Sam try anything. Sam froze as Farrak moved out of the way, giving her a good view of her sister. "Molly, are you alright?" It was a loaded question meant to ascertain whether she was injured.

Molly nodded quickly with a snub of tears. "I'm alright." She whispered it out for further confirmation. Sam met her eyes imploring honesty and she read everything that she needed in a heart beat. "Okay, just do what they say and I promise nothing is going to happen to you."

"Samantha," Azim stroked his thumb down Molly's cheek getting a cringe and fearful sob from Molly. "Don't make promises that you can't keep." He met her eyes smugly. "I will lay out the rules."

"Alright." Sam whispered out her voice choked with fear, that she was trying to hide. Sam was fighting everything in her, instincts whispering the subtleties that would provide the ties to survival.

"You will comply as you should have on our wedding day, or else the punishments that I reserved for you will be administered to your sister." Azim explained. "Upon landing in Lishon, Molly will go with Madjera to help with the other children. You can see her once a day, if you behave." He explained. Lishon was his name for his home and the surrounding city. "Farrak, will now take her to the aft cabin so that we can talk and she can catch a nap."

Sam closed her eyes, swallowing what remained of the little pride she had left, she opened them again and met his eyes as tears rimmed her own. "Yes, Sir," She replied the equivalent in Arabic. She just prayed that Molly could hold it together for just a little while, until she could talk to her just the two of them and give her some measure of hope. Sam bowed her head, regretting the moment she had to not meet Molly's gaze in favor of giving this guy the submissive side of her that he wanted to see.

She was fighting crying by the time she was sitting before Azim, Molly now taken back with Farrak as leverage for her courteous behavior.

Sam was holding so hard to the arm rests on either side of her seat that her knuckles had turned white as she waited for the conversation with Azim. "I have to admit that I was surprised. I knew where you hailed from, but I had no idea the sort if ruffians that were involved in your life. Your Ex-boyfriend some local enforcer for a US mob lord. How exciting, yet so uneventful...I expected more from him."

Sam knew that Azim had an ego the size of Mount Everest and he had to think of a local mob organization as small fry compared to his international ring, but he had no true idea of what Jason was capable of and she wanted to keep it that way. "I tried to explain to him, about your abilities." Sam swallowed tightly.

"He'll soon find out about them himself, if he chooses to follow." Azim promised her. Sam nodded once more with respect, knowing that he was wrong. Jason would come for her, for her and Molly, and by the time he was through...Azim would wish he never met her.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Jason was pacing the Tarmac his cell phone in hand. "It's near Tamanrasset," He was yelling, fist clenched at his side. Scott leaned against the hanger wall his arms folded over his chest nearby. "Well call me back when you have something." He yelled at Spinelli no regret showing in his features as he hung the phone up and looked to Scott.

They were waiting for Sonny's jet to be fueled.

Scott stiffened, but was relieved when Jason's phone sprang to life nearly as soon as he hung up on the computer nerd that was now safely housed as some safe house out of harms way.

"Yeah..." Jason answered Sonny's call with a sniff mixed of anger and worry.

Sonny didn't answer immediately and Jason heard hitched breathing in pain. "I want you to take this guys Empire down to studs!" Sonny finally was able to convey and Jason knew that he was fighting the pain from a shoulder shot.

"I will." Jason replied to Sonny easily.

"Yeah well I just got a call from Johnny. They hit two of his warehouses and he wants to tag along to help." Sonny confessed.

"Fine, so long as he gets here before we take off." Jason agreed. He wasn't waiting on anyone.

"He'll be there." Sonny promised him. "Carly and the kids are fine, Alexis and Kristina fine, Milo's still critical but they have hope." Sonny confided trying to update him on everyone's condition. "Jason I want this bastard so bad..."

"No more than I do." Jason promised him coldly. He was no longer the caring fiance, he was the cold and calculating man that he needed to be in order to bring Sam and Molly home.

The police were spread out all over the city as were Sonny's men and he and whoever could possibly show up before they took off were the only hope that Sam and Molly had right now.

Jason wasn't in the mood to argue who wanted this guy more. He was in the mood for action and he was ready for it and by God if anyone held him up he was taking it out of their asses. "Do you have some other point to make?" Jason asked him in raw rage while watching the fuel crew. There was a lull on Sonny's end before he spoke next.

"Jason, I know what you're going through..." Jason cut him off there.

"Sonny, I don't need a speech. I need to do what needs to be done and I would appreciate if you let me do it." Jason replied evenly.

"I'm not standing in your way." Sonny promised him.

"That's a good thing." Jason swore as he watched a limo pulling up just as the guy fueling the plane made a beeline in his direction. "I know you have to stay. I know someone has to deal with the Valenti clan and what just happened, but you do not need to tell me how to handle this." Jason assured him."This guy will not be providing any sort of support to anyone when I'm through." Jason promised him.

Sonny was a quiet a moment before he answered. "I believe you..." and that was the end of it. The fuel guy gave him the thumbs up that the jet was fueled just as Johnny Zacchara stepped out of his limo and Jason gave a nod in that direction as he started for the stair case that led into the plane.

_Next Chapter : Jason, Scott and Johnny head to Africa to take down Azim _


	9. The Chase pt 2

**The Long Road Home**

**Thanks so much for the reviews :Thanks: They really are much appreciated. **

**There is a part three to this chapter. I hope everyone enjoys and I would love to hear what you think about this update. **

**The Chase Pt 2**

"Sleep now, it's the last chance you're going to get until we're flying out of Algeria." Scott wasn't sure how much sleep any of them were really going to get considering what had transpired, but he did try and take Jason's suggestion to heart. He did doze a bit, but his dreams were restless, fraught with horrors reserved for slasher films. Sam and Molly were in harms way and they had to bide their time with this damn flight.

When he woke they were halfway to Madrid, where they needed to refuel. Johnny was sacked out in a nearby seat but Jason was wide awake in the middle of a video chat. Scott rubbed the sleep from his eyes and got to his feet taking in the new homage to Algerian rescue plans that had taken over the cabin wall behind Jason. A map of Algeria was the focal point with many points of interest highlighted in various shades of sharpie.

"No I don't want Garrett..." Jason was saying.

"Jason, with the short notice you're not going to get to be picky here." a deep yet somewhat nasal Britishly accented voice said through the laptop speaker.

"I'm not being picky, Troy, the asshole shot me the last time we worked together. He can't hit his targets and could end up getting us all killed. So who else have you got?"

"Sasha Milokav." Troy replied with a heavy sigh.

"Yeah, yeah..I've worked with him – he's good." Jason nodded. Scott slipped his hands in his pocket with yawn as he perused the rest of the wall surrounding the map. There were six names on the board, Troy Benson, Dallas Farraday, Josie Corbin, Parker Danes, Drake Jones, and Grant Stone. The names were under a small maker for Madrid. They must be picking up more men and possibly a woman. Scott turned in time to see Jason holding out another piece of paper to him. "Add that under Madrid." Scott took the paper and added it to the list.

"I've got everyone getting geared and we should be able to meet you there in about 4 hours." Troy told him as he was shifting things around in his own work space, clearly working at a frenzied pace. "I still haven't gotten a hold of Bagger, sometimes he hard to pin down. We might have to catch up with him in Gafsa."

"Alright, but let me know if you happen to find him." Jason replied keeping his voice in check despite the obvious frustration.

"Will do." Troy promised him. "See you in Spain."

"K." And that was the end of that. Scott thought for a moment that he was about to get a run down of what Jason had planned but as soon as Troy was gone Spinelli popped up on the screen. He looked like he had about four shots of espresso and was typing like a madman. "Tell me you found it..." Jason said his hope bordering on desperation.

"The Jackal has secured not only the location of the Spawn of the Devil's fortress, but also the most recent acquisition that he hopes to take possession of."

"What?" Jason leaned in forward ready for something more to go on.

"While delicately skirting the fine security protocols of Valenti's Maltese affiliates the Jackal stumbled upon an arms shipment that will be airdropped 5 miles west of the Spawn of the Devil's fortress in seven hours."

"That could be helpful. The men will be distracted moving the cargo. That might help us find a way in..." Jason trailed off thoughtfully and Scott turned as Spinelli's mentioning of the arms shipment spawned an idea.

"What if we were in the cargo?" Scott asked quickly. "Trojan horse, they'd carry us right in." Jason looked from Spinelli to Scott the gears slowly turning as he sought the holes in the plan.

"Bagger, would have to drop us first, so our boxes are already there when the rest fall. A lot could go wrong. People hurt when the pallet hits the ground, we'll bounced inside the boxes. It'll still be hot as evening sets in, we'll need water." He was weighing the pros and cons aloud. "They would carry us right in, probably to a store house for the weapons, we could arm ourselves as soon as we got out, take out the guards quietly and move on from there..." He paused looking to Scott, meeting his eyes. "It's a good plan, not without it's risks but I think the odds are better then trying to fight our way in. It also gives us the advantage of surprise."

Jason turned back to Spinelli as Johnny drew Scott's attention, waking quietly.

"Spinelli I need to know everything that you can find about that shipment, cause we're going to need to match the crates." Jason told him as Johnny made his way over.

"The Jackal is on it..." Spinelli replied and the chat pane disappeared.

"How many men you got so far?" Johnny asked as he motioned to the names under Madrid. "And what's this about crates?"

"I've got seven guns for hire meeting us in Madrid." Jason explained. "Spinelli found out that Azim has an arms shipment being air dropped five miles West of his strong hold. We're going to let Bagger air drop us in on another pallet, Trojan horse. By the time they figure out that they have one extra pallet it'll be too late."

Johnny narrowed his eyes. "And this was the best plan we could come up with? Won't the fall kill us all?"

"They have chutes, it'll slow us enough." Scott piped in. "I mean if they didn't not much of the product would survive the fall, not to mention the sensitivity of the material."

"Right so if they do mess up the deployment then we could all explode." Johnny pointed out.

"Happy thoughts." Scott cautioned him as he patted his arms. "They won't mess up the deployment."

Johnny didn't look like happy thoughts were any where in sight as he looked back to Jason. "So the seven guns, any one I know?"

Jason looked over his shoulders at the names. "Troy Benson?"

Johnny shook his head so Jason explained. "Fifteen years in the French foreign legion, he went freelance after he retired. He usually does high risk guard duty but takes the occasional contract. He's solid." He assured him and then went on to the next name. "Dallas Farraday?"

"The wrestler turned body guard?" Johnny arched an eyebrow.

"He's dabbling in more than just guard duty now a days." Jason nodded. "Josie Corbin?"

"The hellcat ex - enforcer for Garibaldi. " Johnny nodded. "I heard she was branching out."

"Parker Danes?" Scott settled into a nearby seat as they rehashed the list of world's scariest people. Scott's circles tended more to smuggling than hits, so he was in the dark on these folks.

"Nope." Johnny shook his head and stretched his neck to the side, still trying to shake sleep.

"Trained in black ops went on his own two years ago, something about his wife's murder. He's doing this for free." Jason explained. "Drake Jones?"

"How the hell did you pull him out of retirement?" Johnny asked in shock. "I thought he was in Switzerland."

"He owes me." Jason left it at that. "Grant Stone?" Johnny shook his head once more. "Family business. I hope he's his father's son." Jason confided. "Sasha Milokav?No? Russian mafia, he's dependable."

"Well they have the skills." Johnny agreed. "Lets hope that's enough."

Jason shot Johnny a look that had him taking a step back. "It'll be enough." What he didn't add was that it would have to be.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

**3:02 p.m.**

**Madrid, Spain**

Sam rubbed a hand up and down Molly's arm glad that Azim had let them at least spend the plane ride together. Molly had been crying in her lap for hours when she finally passed out from exhaustion. Sam had tried to reassure her, to some how help her through this, but every moment that passed was another nail driven into her heart. She kept telling herself that all they had to do was wait, but what would happen while they did.

Azim was unpredictable and pissed as hell, a horrid combination. Sam looked out the window so that she could pretend that Farrak wasn't starring her up and down. The plane was refueling and she was stuck with him for the moment. It wasn't better than Azim, just different. At least she could sometimes manipulate Azim.

Sam kept gently switching between stroking Molly's hair and her arm as though the tender touches somehow made up for this deepening nightmare as she continued to watch the runway beyond her mobile prison. She suddenly hitched in a breath as she saw a plane landing in the distance, a plane she recognized. It was Sonny's.

Jason.

Sam fought every instinct to react to the new found hope reborn in her soul at the sight. Farrak couldn't see that hope lest he realize that the cavalry was practically on their heels. She was so glad that they had been delayed by some faulty something with the landing gear. This could all be over...

"The plane is fueled and the landing gear restored to it's former glory." Azim announced proudly as he walked through the cabin, getting Sam's full attention and breaking her contained spirit in one fell swoop. Disappointment never felt so soul shattering as that one moment. Sam closed her eyes and exhaled softly and reassured herself...

He was keeping his word...

He was right behind her and the second part of that promise.

Soon he would kill them all.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ **

Scott felt a little nervous as the welcoming committee to the crowd that was about to board the plane. Jason and Johnny went to handle customs and here he was watching as a motley crew of some of the worlds best protectors and killers walked toward the plane. He could only assume that the buzzcut looking line backer in a flashy navy pin striped suite was the wrestler turned whatever that he'd heard Johnny refer to earlier, Dallas.

Beside Dallas a five foot nothing with waist length black hair cascading down her back in a pinned up braid was practically skipping. She was wearing lots of black and camo with black combat boots. She had more metal in her face than some kid's braces he'd seen. Rings in her brows, lips, nose, ears...that couldn't come in handy in hand to hand combat could it? Josie Corbin...the hell cat.

Behind them was a lanky man in a sweater vest, his gray locks swaying near his neck line. He was the oldest and therefore the one he knew the least about, if assumptions rang true, Drake Jones, the one that owed Jason. Scott seriously wondered how it was one hit man could owe another and how exactly that played out, but he was probably better off not knowing.

The most outstanding was the one with the six inch spiked mo-hawk of dirty blonde hair. He wore make up and a ripped t-shirt with "From Russia with Love" emblazoned across the chest in bright red letters. No one would mistake him for a Russian mobster that was for sure. A punk, yes, mafia no. He must be good at what he did for Scott doubted even mobsters put up with disrespect. Sasha Milokav...

The other three were less noticeable, slacks and jeans and dress shirts, t-shirts, not so flashy haircuts. Scott couldn't place them immediately. Troy, Grant, and Parker.

God, this was going to be...

Interesting.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Jason and Johnny climbed up the steps to the plane, the refueling finished and customs handled. There was a collective chatter from the cabin as they entered to find those that knew each other catching up and those that were less well known sitting quietly. Jason didn't have the luxury nor the desire to make with pleasantries and so as soon as he was past the threshold he got down to business.

"We'll be taking off in a few moments. The flight time to Gafsa is about 2 and a half hours, which is all the time that we have to coordinate our plans to invade Aban Abdul-Azim's strong hold located 20 miles North of Tamanrasset. The preliminary plan is this...there is an arms shipment about to be dropped near his strong hold, we are going to air drop in on a pallet in crates in an attempt to infultrate..."

"Trojan horse." Parker was the one that spoke up pointing out the basis of the idea. "They carry us in without knowing it."

"It has merit." Drake nodded.

"The risks are minimal and outweigh the odds of death or injury on a head on fight to get in." Jason assured everyone. "Here's the tricky part. We have two months of satellite feed to get through in the next 2 hours in order to get a fix on the number of guards, the schedule, and every exploitable weakness in their system."

Johnny smiled. "I hope you brought your laptops."

_Next Chapter: Sam and Company arrive at Azim's while Jason and Company hitch a ride with Bagger._


	10. The Chase pt 3

**The Long Road Home**

_Thanks so much for the reviews :thanks: I hope I don't drive anyone away with this last installment of Chapter 8. Next chapter they will be storming the compound :) But please enjoy them getting there and let me know if you like this update. _

**The Chase pt. 3**

**5:48 p.m.**

**Gafsa, Tunisia**

"Are you sure he'll be there?" Jason asked Troy quietly from the backseat of the Taxi. They were headed to the Roman pools, a place Bagger apparently frequented, trying to pick up tourists. Jason took Troy because he knew him the best. They had served in the FFL together.

"If he's not then I know a few other places to check." Jason nodded and checked his phone for the time, getting more and more anxious, patience wearing so thin. He wanted to be there already, but he knew that these steps had to be taken one at a time. Troy seemed to notice and offered a calm reassurance of progress. "The crates are already at the air field. They have two hours to get them ready. It'll be ready when we get there. Remember they're professionals."

"I know." Jason wasn't doubting anyone's ability. He just wanted this over and Sam and Molly and the baby out from under this guy's torturous thumb. Jason couldn't fathom what influences could have fed into this guy's psychosis to produce such a monster, but he would spare his love and the rest of the world from every having to endure him again. The Taxi stopped at a square situated around two recess pools. There were small crowds of tourists and locals hovering around the edges looking down into the emerald waters fed by local hot springs.

Jason narrowed his eyes as a boy about Morgan's age dove off the side and flipped on his way down going after a coin someone had just dropped over the side. He would have smiled if he could have gotten past the problem at hand. Jason headed to the wall to peer over the edge looking for Bagger, Troy at his side, flipping a coin over and over and catching it as he walked. At first Jason thought it was just kids down there, but then he saw a bigger guy surface, gasping for breath and laughing heartily as he held up a coin in triumph.

"Bagger!" Troy called and Bagger looked up happily, cheering again as he showed Jason and Troy his new prize.

"I can buy the next round!" He called in rejoice. Jason sniffed praying that he was currently sober.

"I'll buy you a dozen rounds if you get your ass up here." Troy called. And that did it. Bagger swam to the steps and climbed out, showcasing his very...interesting swim suite. He was wearing a red and white horizontal striped joined tank and short set, that sagged off his lanky frame under the weight of the water.

"A dozen rounds you say?" Bagger asked as he tilted his head from side to side, trying to sling water from his ears.

"After the job." Troy emphasized. "Are you sober?"

"As ever." Bagger beamed. "I see you're back, Buddy...you have another damsel in need of rescue?" He said to Jason while still slinging water from his ear.

"Same one." Jason piped in and Bagger simply gave a thoughtful nod.

"Not so dead as all that, then?" Bagger was impressed.

"Lets talk on the way." Troy tossed Bagger what had to be unmistakeably his towel and motioned towards the cab. They started in that direction and kept their voices down. "We need you to fly a pallet of crates into Algeria, it's about 5 miles from a certain arms dealers strong hold and drop them into his favorite drop zone."

"Mind if I ask what the cargo is?" Bagger asked not seeming too worried about the answer. "I mean this is a weapons drop – right?"

"Sort of." Troy smirked. "But we're the weapons..."

Bagger's smile grew. "I'm loving this more and more, but two crates – that makes a small pallet and the weight distribution could get tricky."

"There's ten crates and we can bolster a few more with weight if we need to balance it out." Jason explained.

"You sneaky devils, you." Bagger smirked. "It's gonna cost you more than a dozen rounds though."

"We'll cover the costs." Jason assured him. "Just make sure you land us in one piece."

"Oh this will be cake, Baby." Bagger grinned throwing his wet arms around them as they walked the rest of the way to the cab.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Sam walked into her bedroom with a disheartened sigh. It was just like she remembered it. She was a mess of a mixture of nerves and fear and hope all jumbled together in some mishmash from hell. Molly was with Madi already and here she was escorted by her new body guard to get cleaned up for dinner with Azim. She wasn't exactly thrilled at wondering how that was going to go, wondering whether or not he would punish her further or threaten her sister.

She knew that Jason was on his way , but that didn't mean that they were safe in the meantime. Sam wearily crossed the room heading for the closet. Despite loathing every reminder of the past seven months here she wanted a clean change of cloths and a shower. Oh a shower. If only it could wash away the pain...

Sam walked into her adjoining bathroom and started to untie her robe when she heard some one clear their throat behind her. Sam closed her eyes praying that it wasn't Azim. God, she couldn't sleep with him again...

"I found something interesting while I was searching for clues about your relations in Port Charles." Sam froze realizing that it was Mal Farrak and not Azim. "Did you know that the hospital report said that you were pregnant before you left for Africa." Sam hitched in a breath feeling Farrak's breath against the back of her neck, his finger's brushing her hair back off her shoulders. "I didn't share that with Aban. I was hoping you would be grateful."

Sam fought tears as she realized that Farrak was trying to blackmail her into sleeping with him, his suggestive touches revealing his intentions. God what was it about her? Did he even care that she was nearly 8 months pregnant? Or was that part of the turn on for him. How was she going to get out of this before Jason got there. Dinner wasn't for another hour and a half.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Jason walked into the hanger with Bagger and Troy in tow seeing that everyone had finished with the crates and were now cleaned up and ready for battle, even the more hardcore of the group looked to have accepted mobility and functionality in the stead of fashion choices. Josie's jewelry and make up were nonexistent and Sasha's hair was pulled back into a pony tail.

The group turned in tandem with several nods welcoming them back. "Everyone, this is Bagger Barns, Bagger – everyone." Jason gave the introduction as he moved to the front of the room so that everyone could see him. Luckily Bagger had changed into more presentable clothing provided by Troy.

"We've got to pull this drop off within in the hour to ensure that we get there before the original shipment." He grabbed a small tube from a tray of tubes on a nearby table and held it up. "When we land...we will wait until they move the pallet into the store house. You should all be able to hear the signal over the ear bud." Jason motioned to his ear. "We'll go on my mark. When I give the signal...you will need to empty the contents of these tubes into the seams around the opening to the top of the crate. The resulting chemical reaction will make it easy to shoulder your way out of the crate without making a lot of noise."

Everyone either nodded in understanding or voiced it subtly so that Jason went on. "You all know the routes toward the main compound you need to take and each area that needs to be secured. They don't know we're coming and we want to keep it that way for as long as possible, use hand to hand and slashing weaponry until you absolutely have to go for the firearms." Another round of nods and subtle replies came and went. "Alright...time to load up."

The pallet was already on the cargo plane in the hanger so the group moved in that direction, small talk passing between some of the members as Bagger pulled a CD from a case he'd had with him and headed to ready the plane for take off.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Scott watched everyone climbing into the crates with growing dismay. He was a sailor not a paratrooper and while he'd done a good job of putting on a brave face so far he was teetering on the cusp of fear and panic. Josie was laughing as she sank into her crate and Dallas positioned the top over it, binding it to the rest of the crate, sealing her in. He then helped seal Jason and Troy into the bottom layer along with Sasha, Parker, and Drake. There was another layer of crates reserved for Johnny, Scott, Grant, and Dallas resting on top of the others – all tethered together.

God was this the best idea they could come up with?

Scott knew it was his idea, but now that he was looking at the reality of it he wasn't so sure that he should have suggested it. Johnny walked by him slapping him on the back. "You ready?" He asked him as he sank to his knees in the crate on top of Josie's."

"Sure." Scott lied with ease, but he caught the scoff Johnny threw in his direction. Dallas helped with the top and then with Grants and Scott finally tried to shake it off as he headed for his own little hovel of hell.

He settle inside it and looked up as Dallas smiled down at him. "Relax, it's just like parachuting." as if that was supposed to help.

"Right" Scott gave him a wavering smile much to Dallas's chagrin.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Bagger slid his CD in as he took to the air, everyone sealed inside their crates. He cranked the volume so loud that it didn't matter that thick wood stood between them and the sound system, they could hear his homage to Blondie. Jason heard the scoff escape him before he could reel it in. Hell they were all unaware of Bagger's strange customs cause they were locked in boxes but this one wouldn't escape them. His infatuation with Blondie...

"_One way or another I'm gonna find ya...I'm gonna getcha getcha getcha getcha...one way or another, I'm gonna win ya...I'm gonna getcha getcha getcha getcha..." _

Jason leaned his head back against his crate, his knees drawn in as he tried to get comfortable before the free fall. The reverberation from the music was loud, but Bagger singing along was louder. It was like he was screaming it as he flew along. And all Jason could think was at least it was fitting, considering what they were about to do. He just prayed that Sam, the baby, and Molly were all alright.

"_One way or another I'm gonna see ya...I'm gonna meetcha meetcha meetcha meetcha...one day, maybe next week...I'm gonna meetcha, I'm gonna meetcha, I'll meetcha..."_

Scott was listening to the radio and Bagger when he suddenly realized that Josie was singing along below him. It wasn't the least bit settling to him. Nor was the fact that he could tell that others were joining in. These guys were professionals...right?

"_I will drive past your house...and if the lights are all down...I'll see who's around...One way or another...I'm gonna find ya...I'm gonna getcha getcha getcha getcha..."_

Th whole song went on, off and on sung out loud by those in the boxes as well as Bagger as they neared the drop zone...and then they were in free fall...chute trailing behind them about to open any minute...

"_One way or another..." _

_Next Chapter: Azim and Farrak have hell to pay. _

_- last song " One way or another" by Blondie. _


	11. Storming the Castle

**The Long Road Home**

_Thanks a bunch for the reviews so far :thanks: they are a joy to read. I hope everyone enjoys :) Let me know whatcha think. _

**Storming the Castle**

The drop went off without a hitch, though the landing was body jarring. It was the wait that was the hardest part. Jason felt like he was about to come out of his skin. He wanted in there so bad, knew he was just a short distance from Sam and Molly and he had to wait for these assholes to pick up the pallet and drag it back to their storehouse.

It was agony, eating him from the inside out. The group had fallen quiet after their Blondie group sing-a-long, playing like cargo as they quietly stayed hydrated from the confines of the crates. Dusk was falling fast chasing daylight away as if a ghostly reminder of the trip. Finally Azim's men came. Everyone braced in their crates as the pallets were mechanically loaded onto trucks and shipped into the strong hold.

They were then unloaded into the store house, the pallets left unattended. It was when the muffled Arabic dwindled and foot falls were no longer heard that Jason whispered softly into a mic that fed info to the whole teams ear buds. "Go, go, go."

And boy did they...

The crates on the top had to be cleared first so it was up to the team on top to take out the first round of guards inside the store house. Grant, Dallas, Scott, and Johnny shouldered their way out and cut the tethers around the crates as Grant and Dallas then quietly descended on the four guards playing poker near the entrance while Scott and Johnny moved the empty crates off the bottom layer to help the others out.

Any uncertainty that these guys could behave like professionals was gone. Scott felt like the amateur now. The group moved like a well oil machine, silently carrying out the plan with precision. Josie and Parker headed to the rear entrance and took up guard while Grant and Dallas kept watch at the front. Jason motioned to a nearby shelf of tools where a pile of crow bars were stashed and Scott and Johnny quickly tossed them to everyone nearby.

Further arming themselves was the goal now. Already strapped with knives and guns, differing harnesses keeping them within reach, they needed more. More guns, more ammo. Taking down an army wasn't going to be done with a single gun and a couple of clips.

Jason pulled off the jacket that had served as padding during the fall, needing more freedom of movement. He reached into the crate he'd been confined to and pulled out a black vest harness from the bottom. It already had two knives secured near the abdomen, sheathed tightly to keep from penetrating the vest itself. He secured two 9 mms into two other slots on the vest resting above the knives and checked that his ankle holster was secure. Next he tucked another 9mm into his waistband against the small of his back. Two more knives were secured at his upper back, easy to reach over his shoulder and there were 6 pockets at his waist that could hold two clips a piece. He stuffed two more clips into each of his jeans pockets front and back.

Everyone was strapping themselves in a frenzy, but as quietly as possible. They were almost finished when Sasha stumbled onto a crate of silencers. He snapped to get everyone's attention and then started tossing the 9mm silencers to all those that he could see had that particular variety or fire arm. Jason caught two and quickly screwed them in place before securing the guns once more.

Finally everyone was ready to move.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Sam quickly tied the robe back into place as she turned slowly to face Farrak. "I am grateful." She whispered shakily. One half formed plan had come to mind and she could only pray that she still had what it took to run a good con. Sam looked up drawing closer to Farrak as though she was giving in, accepting his terms. She tried to show a measure of defeat mingling with the false desire that she exuded.

It took every ounce of will power to avoid cringing when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him until she was flush against his body, at least as flush as she could be when her stomach protruded like she'd swallowed a bowling ball. "How grateful?" His lips hovered inches from hers and she swallowed the bile rising in the back of her throat.

"Let me show you..." but she had no intention of actually showing him and she was inwardly hating herself for using the baby as cover to get her out of this mess. All at once, before Farrak could capture her lips with his own Sam let out a pained cry doubling over. "...I think I'm..." Sam panted the words out as Farrak adjusted his hold on her to keep her on her feet. Sam looked up careful to make sure that he read the pain in her eyes as she met his. "I think I'm in labor."

For a sadistic madman, Farrak looked genuinely in panic at the prospect that she could very well be in labor. "Shit...shit..."

"Panic later. You need to get the doctor. It's still too soon." Sam got the words out slowly, panting them as she fought to breath, grimacing between every pause. Sam slowly slid to the side of the tub still holding to her stomach as she watched Farrak retreat like the hounds of hell were on his heels and waited until he was gone to drop the ruse.

"Sorry, Baby." She whispered as she rubbed gently over a protruding foot against her belly. "I'll make it up you." She promised. Sam craned her neck to look out the window and sighed. "Jason...hurry."

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Jason motioned for them to move as the group split into two, Jason, Johnny, and Scott headed to meet up with Grant and Dallas at the front entrance, while Sasha, Drake, and Troy headed to the back to team up with Josie and Parker. The plan was this: The two teams would move outward from both directions taking out everyone guard they could find on their way to the main house situated at the far north of the compound. They would avoid civilians and if need be then Drake and Troy would secure the grocery store to shelter them until the fight was over.

Once they reached the main house both group would meet back up to enter the house at it's lowest level. This entrance was the only entrance to the house that was located outside the main gates and it led into the barracks and servants quarters. The only reason Jason knew about it was because Sam had stumbled onto it and happened to tall him about it when she was telling him of her time with Azim. They would take out everyone from the ground up.

Jason lead Scott and Johnny to the front and Grant turned from where he was peering through a crack in the door. He held up four fingers as a body count out the door and then motioned that there were two on either side. Jason could hear the relaxed conversational Arabic and nodded as he passed the four bodies thunked head down at the poker table, paying them little attention.

Jason motioned for them to fan out and then gave a nod to Grant to open the door. In a heart beat Grant grabbed one, hand covering his mouth as he wrapped his arm around his neck and cracked it at a deathly angle, before dropping him dead to the ground. Simultaneously Dallas grabbed the second man, likewise covering his mouth as he slid a knife deeply across his throat. Jason had the third guy, silencing him with a single stab wound to the throat before he could get off a warning to any other nearby guards. Johnny kicked the fourth in the balls, bringing him to his knees in silent agony before he snapped his neck.

They fanned out, taking shelter along the growing shadows, backs pressed against the storehouse wall as they peered around the narrow street. They were two streets over from the movie theater and the small crowd could be heard excitedly converging for whatever film they were showing that night. Luckily the only thing that seemed to be between here and there was a few more storehouses. More guards were talking a few store houses down, oblivious to what had just transpired.

Jason motioned them forward.

In a crushing wave all through the city as the families of those that guarded the monster went about their evening all while men were being pulled into back alleys and put down in a mad rush for the real goal, Azim and his right hand, Farrak. Not a shot was fired along those blood soaked paths, sparing only those that were not on duty or civilians.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ **

Sam gingerly made her way back to the main bedroom and sank into a seat awaiting Farrak and the local physician and a possible showing from Azim. She knew this con wasn't going to work for long. Once the doctor ran a few tests he would know that she wasn't in labor. Luckily he wasn't as equipped as most modern facilities so it would take him more time than back home. She leaned back tiredly.

"Farrak is gone for the doctor," it was Azim's voice that broke her from the quiet and she opened her eyes to find him looming over her. "Are you still in pain?" It was the closest he came to sounding like he cared but she knew his only real concern was for the baby.

"It comes and goes." She whispered, looking down.

"We should get you in the bed." Azim suggested and it wasn't really a suggestion, he was already moving to help her up. Sam accepted the assistance without a fight and let him lead her to the bed and help her into it, offering a gown to change into instead of the robe she now wore. "I'll be checking in on you, let one of the guards outside the door know if anything changes."

"Yes, husband." Sam replied obediently and she had to fight a scowl at the smile he gave at that. Sam changed into the nightgown to keep up appearances all the while praying that Jason's rescue was close at hand.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

The two teams converged on the servant and soldier entrance. This was where they had to be careful of the security camera's. The main house was where the security was tightest and jamming the camera's was the only way to keep security from following their every movement. The entrance was essentially a foyer that led to two spiral staircases that wound up five floors and situated between them was a central elevator shaft.

As preplanned, Grant and Josie broke from the other groups and headed for the elevator, to take it off line. They would stay here and take care of anyone that came from outside or who came down to check on the elevator or tried to run away. Jason flicked the camera jammer on and tossed it to Grant before motioning for the groups to head up the stairs.

Jason took the lead up the far right stairwell. It was too narrow to move any way but single file. With guns drawn they all took to the stairs at a hearty pace. Scott trailed behind Johnny bringing up the rear as the first muffled shots sounded above them from where Jason was in the lead. He was about to step up his pace when Johnny suddenly shoved him back against the wall to narrowly miss a falling body that ricochet off the wrought iron railing on it's way to the ground floor.

"Thanks." He whispered as they started back up only to dodge several more from Jason's killing spree ahead of them.

"No problem." Johnny jumped a body sprawled out on the steps ahead of them and raced after Jason and Dallas. Scott had to step it up to catch up. He gave a nod as Drake and Parker were branching out onto the second floor to clear it – seeing them on the end of the hallway before he grabbed the railing and propelled himself upwards once more.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Azim entered the security room on the fourth floor frowning heavily about the page he'd just received. The two guards on duty quickly pushed themselves back from the snow heavy monitors and rose respectfully. "What is this?" Azim asked worriedly.

"We're still trying to trace the interference." They replied quickly.

"Has anyone breached the outer gates?" Azim could see that it was only the house that seemed effected.

"No, Sir, but the servants elevator is down as well. It could be an electrical problem."

"Or it could be another sort of problem, send some men to check on the servant's elevator and find me the problem with the camera's. I want this fixed within the hour." He ordered.

"Yes, Sir."

Azim sighed in frustration as he headed back up the main elevator to the fifth floor where all the bedrooms were. The servants would just have to use the stairwell's until they fixed the problem.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

They were systematically clearing every floor before going on to the next. By the time Jason and crew reached the fourth floor there were no survivors on any of the first three floors save a few servants and some of Azim's other wives – now being detained in the library on the second floor by Sasha. They'd intercepted the security patrols looking for the camera problems and taken them down as well. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. Azim so under estimated his adversary that he didn't think he had a threat in the world to be weary of.

The fourth floor was no harder to take care of. They swept through it taking out the guards and the security room before moving on to the fifth floor, still in need of finding Sam and Molly. They had to be on the fifth floor as well as Azim and Farrak...

Jason motioned the group forward, upward and onward.

**ZZZZZZZZZZ**

Sam leaned back against the pillow feeling the cold stethoscope pressed firmly against her belly as Farrak stood behind the doctor, waiting with his arms crossed over his chest. Azim entered and made his way over looking less than thrilled but still not all that concerned. "Well?" He asked the Doc.

"I do not see any true indication that she is in labor." He offered in Arabic. "Could have been the Braxton Hicks contractions." He offered as explanation without ever really addressing Sam, only Azim.

Jason took point once more as the two groups descended on the fifth floor with a vengeance. One group took out the guards while the other moved the civilians down to the second floor, one by one. Jason felt the first breath of relief when they found Molly. She was sharing a room with a middle aged woman who was reading to a group of children, presumably for bed time.

He wanted to comfort her but he didn't have time yet, not until they found Sam and were headed out of this hell hole. So he sent Molly with Johnny to the second floor to wait the rest of the fight out, out of harms way.

"I can run more tests." the doctor was explaining to Azim when a sudden muffled shot outside the door had Azim and Farrak both drawing their guns, Azim moving to Sam's side, gun now pointed at her head.

"Out of bed...now," He growled, yanking her out of the bed and then pulling her back against him as he adjusted the gun. Sam had no choice but to comply, her heart leaping in her chest as she realized that Jason was already here. Thank God. She prayed that Molly was safe.

The doors burst open and Jason, Scott and some very large guy hurried into the room. Farrak opened fire immediately and he went down in a heartbeat, the doc as well, caught in the cross fire.

"Stop!" Azim cried out as he slid more behind Sam, trying to shield himself from the gun fire. "Or I'll kill her!"

Everyone stopped, freezing in place, guns still trained on Azim as he used Sam as a shield. Jason was panting, eyes combing over Sam, making sure she was okay, then meeting her eyes in a silent promise that this would all be over soon. "Are you alright?" he asked her quietly before cutting another enraged glare at Azim. "Did he hurt you ?"

"No. I'm alright." Sam replied softly.

"And if you want to keep her that way I suggest you all put your guns on the floor and kick them away from you."Azim was clearly panicking and trying to figure any way out of this that he could take.

There was a long pause as everyone watched Jason to see what they should truly do...to see if he would risk a shot. Jason wrinkled his nose in disgust but finally caved, not willing to take the chance in this situation. He gently put the gun down all the while watching Azim and Sam and then he gave it a good kick. He saw Sam's face fall, and wished he could reassure her that he wasn't about to let this asshole take her out of here.

Scott and Dallas followed suite.

"Do not follow us or I promise you will regret it." Azim growled as he walked the both of them towards the door, making sure he never once turned his back on them. Jason knew that the others were at the other end of the wing so it was up to them to find a way to separate Azim from Sam long enough to take him out. He watched as Azim dragged Sam out the door and closed his eyes a moment, waiting for them to clear the hall.

Azim would head for the servants stairs as they were the closest way down. "Help the others clear the rest of this hall." Jason finally told Scott and Dallas as he scooped up his weapon and took off at a run for the servants stairwell.

Jason burst into the stairwell and stopped short at the railing peering down to gauge where Azim and Sam were. He then backed up and took a running jump over the rail, catching the guard rail on the next floor and swinging in high to kick Azim square in the face with both feet before landing a few steps above him, successfully separating him from Sam. As a bonus Azim dropped the gun over the rail and it plummeted four floors to the ground.

Sam took the opportunity to kick Azim straight in the crotch when he started to scramble up and managed to send him back to the stairs in a heap while Jason recouped from the fall, pulling himself up and moving to grab Azim up by the cuff, slamming him into the rail. Azim then made one last attempt to secure his freedom. "Y...you..." he sputtered it out between blood soaked lips. "You can have the girl...just let me live."

"She was never yours to give." Jason growled out. "No way in hell..." He reared back and punched Azim right over the railing then drew his gun and fired every round he had left into the body on it's way to the floor.


	12. Salvation

**The Long Road Home**

_So I didn't actually think this was going to be the last chapter until I sat down to put it down and it just sort of came out that way. However, take to heart I am going to start another one as a sequel to this one that deals with JaSam and company healing in Ireland and the arrival of the baby...but I'm going to wait to start that one after I finish one of the other one's I'm working on. _

_Thanks so much all the reviews. I really enjoy reading what everyone thinks about what's going on in the story and it's truly an inspiration that people like what I'm writing. You guys are so awesome :)_

_I hope you enjoy :)_

**Salvation**

Sam peered over the railing, following the body all the way to the floor. She couldn't tear her gaze away as bullet after bullet tore into Azim, her soul's retribution. When he finally hit the floor a single tear fell after him. It wasn't sadness for his death. It wasn't joy that his tyranny was over. It was sorrow that one man could hold so much power over so many people and use that power to torture them. It was anger that it took her capture and enslavement for someone to fight back. It was frustration that she couldn't keep her sister safe.

And for once she was glad that Jason kept his distance for if his arms had surrounded her at that moment she would have shoved him away. She was absolutely brimming with a torrent of suppressed emotions, the brittle dam holding them back shattered as Azim's bones surely had when he impacted the floor. The flood gates open, the current was too much, and Sam screamed pushing the rage and bitterness out, holding to the railing to keep herself on her feet as she screamed her throat raw only gasping in a breath before she did it all over again, until she felt unburdened enough to move again.

Jason's arm had slowly fallen to his side, every ounce of wrath first sated when Azim hit then floor and then diffused as he watch Sam fall apart. The war torn stories left unsaid filling the space between them as he realized how much worse it had to have been now. How much he didn't know. He couldn't move, was scared to touch her, to make it worse, to break whatever it was that she needed to do. Every scream, every gasp in between, every trembling white knuckled grip of the rail, every tear, Jason felt like his very soul was breaking apart at the seams.

He felt tears of guilt and frustration, raw agony, hot against his cheeks. Jason turned away only when he heard foot falls headed in their direction and he quickly took aim up the stairwell, letting it fall once more when Scott abruptly stopped, realizing that Sam wasn't under attack. Jason turned back to her just in time to see her knees giving way and he traversed the distance separating them to catch her. She was shaking, quivering against him as he wrapped her in his embrace, lips grazing her forehead tenderly.

"It's okay. He can't hurt you anymore." He promised her.

It took her a moment, a moment of relying on his strength to keep her upright before she could speak. "He can't hurt anyone any more." She corrected him, a gentle admonishment expressing that his sins and transgressions touched many lives, not just hers.

"There..." Scott hated to break into their moment, but he had an important announcement. "There's a crowd gathering at the front gates." He explained softly. "They don't seem hostile, but...it's restless out there and they're blocking the escape route we were supposed to take when we commandeered the trucks."

"I want to see." Sam whispered before Jason could offer any sort of solution.

Jason met Scott's eyes weary of the decision. What he wanted was for her to get off her feet, to find some measure of calm before they set out on the journey out of here. He wanted her and the baby to be alright, stress free from here on out. But what he wanted and what actually was about to happen where two completely different things.

"Sam I don't..." Jason didn't even get the rest of the caution out there.

"I want to see." Sam's tone let him know that he could help her there or she would go on her own. Jason closed his eyes and then tucked his gun away, his sigh of frustration the only hint that he wasn't happy about this. He then wrapped a strong arm around her waist to help her down the stairs to the main floor.

The journey was quiet as they made it to the lobby, where the others had taken up positions to fire into the crowd if they had to. Beyond the extravagant entrance, the tiered steps that led to the front walk, past the columns and arches and the thick barred gates, it looked like the whole of the servants dispersed throughout the city, slaves bought and held prisoner, had realized that there was freedom on the horizon and that it was there for the taking, now that the guards were either dead or now fleeing from the revolt that was rising.

Sam swallowed tightly, smiling through the tears. "How much room have we got?" She whispered to Jason.

"The trucks might hold 50. We've got a cargo plane after that...it's rough estimate...but I think we can fit 50 people aside from us in there, but it won't be comfortable." Jason peered out into the crowd counting heads.

"Comfort is over rated." Sam whispered still searching the crowd. "Open the gates...we let them all in and we take them with us and Madi and the children...and any of the other wives that want to come." And it was so not up for discussion. "No matter how many trips it takes."

"Yeah but Sam, where do we take them?" Jason hated to rain on her freedom movement but the simple fact of the matter was they had no place to drop them off. They couldn't get them all Visa's and ship them into the United States.

"There is enough money in that house to help them get where ever they need to go after we land in Tunisia." Sam explained. She paused realizing that something was bugging her. "Where are _we_ going after that?"

Jason licked his lips nervously and looked a way a moment before he met her eyes. "Not home. The war Azim started has it's own momentum now. We're going to a safe house in Ireland."

Sam's eyes widened in horror. "What about Molly? She..."

"I'm sorry Sam. She's can't go back until Sonny gets this under control." Jason hated to give her more to worry about. "The important thing is that she's safe and with her family." He tried to reassured her. "We all will be." He promised her.

Sam would detest the idea later, but now she had to take what she could from each victory. She looked from Jason back to the crowd and motioned to a the base of a nearby column. "Help me up there."

Jason looked back to Scott worriedly and both of them pulled their weapons to cover her should she need it before he did as she asked and helped her up onto the platform. Jason combed over the crowd making sure there was no threat as he realized in shock and wonder that they were quieting in her presence.

"Aban Abdul-Azim." Sam spoke in Arabic. "And his reign are over!" A cheer went up from the crowd and Jason widened his eyes, still vigilant to keep a look out for threats as her words were lost on him. "If you wish to be free then we can offer a ride as far as Gafsa, from there you can make your way to whatever home you have left. Take whatever you need from the house to buy your passage, but don't miss the trucks." Another cheer sounded just as the gates swung open and the people surged forward.

"Time to go." Scott said quickly, not wanting them to all get caught up in the wave of people.

Jason agreed and quickly rose up to grab Sam and lift her into his arms, hurrying them back into the house where they could meet up with the others and head to the trucks. "I want all of our people loaded first!" Jason called to Scott who was racing towards the servants entrance so that they could get to the trucks that the others should have secured by now.

"I'll tell them!" Scott called as he broke into a run in that direction. Jason stepped his pace. "This could get ugly if we don't maintain order."

"Worry about it at the trucks." Sam told him softly.

**ZZZZZZZZZZZ**

Jason carried Sam out to the large covered trucks that the others had pulled up to the servants entrance and quickly helped her into the truck at the front of the line where Molly and Johnny were waiting. "Oh thank God." Sam swept her sister up in a hug as soon as she set foot inside the back of truck. Molly was like wise overjoyed.

"Madi, said you were fine, but I was so worried." Molly told her tearfully as she hugged her back.

"She was right..." Sam cupped Molly's chin and met her eyes. "And I see she took care of you as well."

"She's really nice." Molly smiled, but it was obvious that something else was weighing on her. "Was it like the movies?"

Sam frowned as she arched an eyebrow at the question. "Was what like the movies?"

"Jason's rescue. Did he sweep in and save you like the long lost princess?" Molly asked excitedly.

Sam's smile was bittersweet. "No, it wasn't like the movies, it was scary and..." She was searching for the words, wanting to put it the right way when she didn't even know what that was. "It wasn't like the movies." Was finally what she settled on. "But everything is going to be alright. We're all together and we're safe and we're getting out of here." She didn't want to break it to Molly that they weren't going home, not just yet. She knew her sister needed this one moment of victory.

"This is a miracle." Sam turned to see Jason helping Madi get the rest of the children into the truck and couldn't help but smile when she saw her friend hug him joyfully. He froze arms awkwardly to either side of Madi, but soon he lightly returned it. "You deserve much happiness." She told him pointedly before turning her attention to Sam. "And you...Thank you all."

"Madi, you don't have to thank us, none of this would even be possible if you hadn't helped me escape the first time." She told her she rose to hug her.

**ZZZZZZZZZZZ **

"_Come to me now...and lay your hands over me...even if it's a lie...say it will be alright...and I shall believe...I'm broken in two and I know you're on to me...that I only come home when I'm so all alone...and I shall believe..."_

Sam leaned her head back against the co – pilot's seat, one of the few actual seats in the plane and looked back through the cockpit door to the mercenaries that Jason had hired helping the people into the plane, knowing that for once their job had to be rewarding. It wasn't every day that a whole group of hit men saved the day...were looked upon like saviors.

Jason was crouched down next to Molly, the two of them hugged together as her sister showed her own gratitude for all of his help. Sam smiled tiredly. Everyone was alright. She ran her hand over her belly gingerly, feeling soft nudges. She was sad that they couldn't go home, that she couldn't have the baby in Port Charles, that her mother could be there... Sam closed her eyes with a sigh. Surely her mother would be getting out of there because of Kristina with everything that was happening. Would Sonny send them somewhere else?

She would have to ask Jason later...

Sam jumped when Bagger walked into the room and slung...Rum?... on her in a cross pattern before sinking into his seat. "You ready to get the hell out of here, Miss Damsel?"

"You have no idea..." Sam said a little wearily as she watched Bagger shove a CD into the player and Blondie's _"Call me,"_ came on the stereo.

"_That not everything is going to be the way you think it ought to be...It seems like every time I try to make it right it all comes down on me...please say honestly you won't give up on me...and I shall believe...and I shall believe...and I shall believe..."_

Scott sank onto a seat near the wall of the plane, holding onto a strap over his head as they flew out of Algeria. This was a day he would never forget. A day when the most unlikely of heroes took down an evil that seemed unstoppable at first glance. It seemed that Azim's own pride was his downfall as he had thought his city impenetrable.

Johnny sank down next to him watching as Jason made his way to the cockpit door to sit with Sam. "You know we're not going home?"

"I heard." Scott nodded. "That's alright though. I've always wanted to visit the Emerald Isle." Scott smirked.

"_Open the door and show me your face tonight...I know it's true no one heals me like you...and you hold the key...never again...would I turn away from you...I'm so heavy tonight...but your love is alright...and I do believe..." _

Alexis Davis stood hand in hand with Kristina, nervously moving through the line at the airport. Max stood at her back, following them through. His brother was going to make it for it was the only way that Max could agree to go with Kristina to Ireland. Alexis wanted to go, God she did, but she couldn't, not now. She had to wait until her current case was over. But she promised that she would come as soon as she could.

Alexis tearfully hugged and kissed her daughter good-bye sending her into the great blue yonder with Max as her protector. She could only take to heart that all of her girls would be alright and that she would see them all soon...

"_That not everything is going to be the way you think it ought to be...It seems like every time I try to make it right it all comes down on me...please say honestly you won't give up on me...and I shall believe...and I shall believe...and I shall believe..."_

Sam looked up as Jason crouched down next to her and gently kissed her, ignoring the smile from ear to ear that Bagger was giving them. "I know it's not the most ideal, but..." Jason started about their current destination.

"Jason, I'm not upset any more. I'm a little sad...but" Sam rose to kiss his lips, before pulling back to meet his eyes. "We're still going home...because...home is where ever you are." She smiled.

"I love you," Jason couldn't help but smile as he pulled her into another kiss.

"I love you too." She breathed against his lips.

"_I shall believe..." _

_-Last song " I shall Believe" by Sheryl Crow. _


End file.
